Seniors’ advocates join forces to raise awareness of elder abuse
Leaders of three seniors’ advocacy groups joined the BC Seniors Advocate today to raise the alarm about elder abuse, a growing but often hidden issue affecting older adults across the province, in advance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Sunday, June 15.
The World Health Organization defines elder abuse as “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person”. Elder abuse often occurs when there is an imbalance of control and the abuser either limits or takes control of the rights and freedoms of the senior. Types of elder abuse include: emotional/psychological, physical, sexual, neglect or self-neglect, financial, and withholding rights and freedoms.
“Unfortunately, elder abuse continues to be an issue in B.C. Our most recent Monitoring Seniors’ Services report outlines data from many sources and the increasing trends for most types of abuse are extremely concerning,” said Dan Levitt, BC Seniors Advocate. “It’s important to recognize elder abuse and report both suspicions and confirmed instances, and stay informed of evolving and increasingly sophisticated frauds and scams in order to protect vulnerable people in our province.”
The United Nations designated June 15 each year as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in 2011.
Since its inception, communities around the world have used this day as an opportunity to raise awareness of elder abuse and neglect of older persons by sharing information about their rights and promoting resources and services to support seniors’ safety and well-being. This year’s theme is ‘Be Bold: Age with Attitude’ which encourages people of all ages to prevent elder abuse by standing up for the rights of older people.
“Seniors First BC provides direct services to older adults and those who care about their well-being,” said Marie-Noël Campbell, Executive Director at Seniors First BC. “We encourage seniors who are in situations of abuse, as well as those who care about them, to contact the Seniors Abuse and Information Line to speak with a professional intake worker for information, support, safety planning and referrals to our programs, including Victim Services and legal programs, as well as services near them. Seniors First BC assists older adults throughout the province, including First Nations Elders and seniors in rural B.C.”
Many seniors who experience elder abuse are ashamed or embarrassed to report it, however,
several people have recently told Seniors First BC about their experiences. Their stories of verbal,
mental and emotional abuse; identity fraud; and bullying and harassment are available online at
https://seniorsfirstbc.ca/about/testimonials/.
“World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is a powerful reminder that every older adult deserves to live
with dignity, safety, and respect,” said Heather Treleaven, Executive Director of the BC Association of Community Response Networks (BCCRN). “At BCCRN, we work alongside communities across the province to prevent abuse and neglect by fostering local leadership, building strong relationships, and ensuring every voice is heard. Together, we can create a British Columbia where older adults are valued, included, and supported—every day of the year.”
“Stopping elder abuse is everyone’s job, and at Family Caregivers of BC, we are proud to be a partner in the massive effort to increase awareness, prevention and response across the
province,” said Barb MacLean, Executive Director. “Our BC Caregiver Support Line offers emotional
support, access to education, resources and assistance navigating our health and social systems.
Hearing from caregivers across the province, we understand the many facets of abuse and neglect, and its harmful impacts. For that reason, we’ve been a member of the Council to Reduce Elder Abuse (CREA) since it began in 2013.”
“CREA is a powerful network of service providers from multiple sectors, including financial, policing, health, social and non-profit work collaboratively to raise awareness of elder abuse, build stronger connections for sharing information, accessing resources and identifying gaps, said MacLean, who is also the chair of CREA. “We are grateful for the funding and participation of the Ministry of Health to support this work.”
Anyone experiencing or concerned about abuse, neglect or self-neglect of a senior is encouraged to contact the Seniors Abuse and Information Line, their local Community Response Network, BC211, Crimestoppers, health authority, RCMP, police, or the Office of the Seniors Advocate.