Fraction of cases reported, officials say
By Dave Battagello, The Windsor Star
June 16, 2010
Nearly one in 10 Ontario seniors has been a victim of elder abuse, a crime a senior's advocate said remains under-reported and largely hidden from public view.
World Elder Abuse Prevention Day was recognized in Windsor on Tuesday with a tree planting at City Hall Square attended by Mayor Eddie Francis and Warden Nelson Santos.
"We have a significant responsibility to ensure people have a safe place to grow," Santos said. "Not only is this a city and county issue, but we need to raise awareness and support on this across the country. We need to grow this tree, plant the seed for more awareness."
There were 215 reported occurances in Windsor in 2009 of elder abuse, but officials believe that's a fraction of the actual number of cases.
They believe the true number is up to 12,000 cases each year in Windsor and Essex County.
"Elderly abuse is under-recognized, under-reported and pretty much a hidden issue," said Deb Groen, a registered nurse for Bayshore Home Health and co-chairwoman of the area's Elder Abuse Resource and Prevention Committee. "People are afraid to report the abuse."
In addition to physical harm, seniors can fall victim to fraud, psychological abuse and neglect. Police say victims are often too frightened or embarrassed or fear retaliation if they tell anyone.
Insp. Joe Bachmeier of Windsor police recalled Tuesday a half-dozen seniors in small wartime homes on the city's west end who were convinced by scammers a few years ago they each needed to buy a new steel roof with a hefty $14,000 price tag.
"These guys were from an out-of-town company, set up here and went door-to-door," he said. "They convinced seniors the roof was so bad it was falling in. They fixed the roof, but it was steel. A shingle roof on those homes would be $5,000 or less."
Police only became aware and stopped the scam when a worker stole a purse from an elderly homeowner.
"We constantly have those stories where seniors are sold services they don't need," Bachmeier said.
Groen pointed to increasing family abuse incidents during these tough economic times.
"You see abuse of power of attorney or not understanding the rules," she said. "People think they can do whatever they want under power of attorney, but they cannot just take over mom's or dad's financial situation. They can assist, but are not entitled to their money or belongings."
Neglect is another disturbing trend, Groen said.
"They are left in long-term care facilities without support from family or in their own apartment without resources for food or clothing," she said
Her committee's mission is to provide education to service providers so they can better recognize signs of abuse and also speak in seniors' centres to educate the elderly and encourage them to report incidents to care workers, friends or family members.
Local and provincial police are also increasingly getting involved to help the elderly through workshops or educational sessions, said Tony Cristilli of the Ontario Provincial Police.
SOURCE: The Windsor Star
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