Elder Abuse by Family Members, a Growing Concern - Alberta, Canada

Thu, March 6, 2008

Families abusing seniors a growing concern in Alberta
Canada's aging population is increasingly vulnerable to family members impatient for inheritance cash and other unscrupulous operators, a workshop on elder abuse heard yesterday.
Lawyers and police need to be more in tune with financial manipulation and fraud, said advocates for seniors.

In some cases, families even transport elderly relatives out-of-province to better control them or protect them, said lawyer Jeanne Desveaux, who specializes in elder issues.
"If the person's deemed to be competent, there's very little police can hold their hat on."
And with lengthening lifespans, some adult children are tempted to bully elderly, parents over wills, she added. "We have a very wealthy, larger cohort of old people in this country and people want their inheritance now," said Desveaux, who's been working with the Canadian Bar Association on the issue.

"We're trying to sensitize people by raising red flags."
Reported incidents of other types of elder abuse, including the physical, emotional and neglect are also on the rise, say advocates.
Last year, Calgary's Kerby Rotary Shelter responded to an average of 100 complaints a year -- a 15% increase over 2006, noted Karen Walroth, executive director of the Alliance to End Violence.

"We're getting a true sense of what the problem is and we should be alarmed," she said.
With Alberta having the highest level of family abuse in Canada, it figures the province also holds the same dubious ranking when it comes to seniors, said Walroth.
"The number of people moving to Calgary who don't have supports and the number of stressors in play feed the problem," she said.
While the province does boast some good programs to address the issue and the only seniors' abuse shelter in North America -- the Kerby Rotary -- Walroth said better co-ordination between agencies is needed.
In a 2006 survey of 400 Calgary households, Walroth's group found 18% said they knew a senior who'd suffered some form of abuse.

SOURCE: calsuncanoe
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As we are living longer than generations before, and are opened to the abuse of family members who are impatient to receive their inheritance. Gone are the days where most of us could feel safe; with the knowledge that having a family meant we can rely on someone to care for us in old age.
Having said that, we must acknowledge that there are still many adult children (mine included) who are loving and will never consider abusing us in any way.
But, what I had witnessed in the Frank Punito case (neglectful and abusive adult children) made me angry that such can happen, yet there were nothing anyone could do to help. We would have got more assistance/resolution if it was a cruelty to animal case. There is absolutely no excuse for Elder Abuse. It is a violation of basic Human Rights.