Alberta government gives $750K to address elder abuse

The Alberta government will be providing $750,000 to a council that helps prevent and address elder abuse across the province.

According to a news release, the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council will help with coordinated community responses to a variety of communities.

Shantel Ottenbreit, chair of the council, says sometimes it can be difficult for elders to come forward about abuse and access services.

She told The Homestretch that according to a 2015 national prevalence study, almost 10 per cent of seniors in Alberta experience elder abuse each year.

"We know that there's many who don't share anything about their experience of elder abuse or the situations that they've been in.

"Quite often the abuser is a family member … and so there's a lot of shame and guilt that goes along with it."

The council chair said the majority of funds will go to 16 different communities and their front-line services which connect seniors to resources.

And while the community program itself will last one year, each community will work on a sustainability plan so that the services will be long-term, said Ottenbreit.

"Getting started in a community and getting the word out about services takes some time and once you do have that established in the community, you don't want to pull the services," she said.

Redefining elder abuse

The province also plans to revise the provincial definition of elder abuse this year, which Ottenbreit said currently doesn't include anything around relationships.

The province said in a release the dialogue is intended to update elder abuse responses through better understanding, recognition and prevention at the community level.

The council chair said one key thing that will be addressed is "trusting relationships."

"It's somebody that we know and that we should be able to trust and that has misused that trust to be able to gain access or power and control over a person." 

An example of this could be taking advantage of a person financially and possibly controlling their funds, she said.

Once the definition is changed, Ottenbreit said it also opens the conversation to different areas of funding.

"This discussion on the common definition will really allow us to look at what pieces are in that definition and in the scope of services and what is out," she said.

For those who want to help or are worried about an elder abuse situation, Ottenbreit said there's a resource that should help called, It's Not Right: Neighbours, Friends and Families for Older Adults.

She said if you see something that didn't sit right in your gut, to try checking in with the person.

"They may not be ready at this time to disclose anything, but it opens the door and lets them know that you're a supportive person that they can come to later."

With files from The Homestretch.