Elder Abuse Awareness: Increase in Reporting (Canada)

By Ginette Petitpas-Taylor
A Woman's view
Published Thursday March 27th, 2008

Elder abuse is a universal problem that has only recently come out of the shadows. It can be physical or sexual assault, emotional abuse, failure to provide adequate food or care and financial exploitation. The victims are often frail and vulnerable, depending on others to meet their most basic needs. The abusers may be the care givers, often family members. Self-neglect is also a problem.

In New Brunswick, Adult Protection Services receives and investigates reports of suspected elder abuse, neglect and self-neglect and doesn't distinguish between them in their statistics. Moreover, because financial exploitation is not currently recognized as abuse in the province's Family Services Act, the Department only steps in if there is also neglect or physical abuse, sexual, or emotional abuse.
Improved intervener training using the updated provincial Adult Victims of Abuse Protocols and heightened community awareness has probably contributed to this increase in reporting. Just imagine how the numbers would climb if there were more outreach services and mandatory reporting of senior abuse and neglect.

Abridged
SOURCE: timestranscriptcanadaeast

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