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Harper Government announces elder abuse awareness project while highlighting World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
June 13, 2014 – Ottawa, Ontario – Employment and Social Development Canada
The Government of Canada is helping seniors from various backgrounds better protect themselves from elder abuse, the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors) recognized today in a speech held at Jewish Family Services of Ottawa. The Minister also highlighted that June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).
The Jewish Family Services of Ottawa is receiving $575,000 in New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) funding for its JFS Pan-Canadian Elder Abuse Awareness and Education Program for Ethnocultural Communities three-year project. Collaborating with four partner agencies across the country, the organization brings together volunteer immigrant seniors to help develop information materials and awareness-raising programs for Jewish, as well as other ethnic and cultural communities. By learning to recognize and prevent elder abuse, seniors can help decrease incidents of mistreatment. Unique to this program is the use of theatrical performance as an educational tool.
The Government of Canada has made combatting elder abuse a priority and recognizes WEAAD each year as part of its own efforts to increase awareness about the issue. Canadians can help raise awareness of elder abuse by engaging in discussions, participating in related activities or helping an elder who may be in distress. To find out more about the Government’s related activities, or to learn how to get involved, visit seniors.gc.ca.
Quick facts
- Economic Action Plan 2014 has recently proposed an additional $5 million per year for the NHSP to support additional projects that benefit seniors. This is in addition to the $45 million the Government already provides to this program annually.
- Since 2006, the NHSP has funded more than 13,000 projects in hundreds of communities across Canada. NHSP funding supports projects that focus on issues like elder abuse, social isolation and intergenerational learning.
- June 15 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It was first launched by the World Health Organization and the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in 2006 to bring attention to the abuse and neglect that some older adults experience and how abuse can be prevented.
- To better protect seniors from mistreatment such as fraud and financial abuse, the Government has passed or introduced legislation such as the Digital Privacy Act to amend the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
- A brochure on powers of attorney and joint bank accounts was released in November 2013 by the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers Responsible for Seniors Forum to inform seniors about the risks, benefits and possible unintended consequences of opening a joint bank account or granting someone a power of attorney.
Quotes
“Our government is proud to work with organizations like Jewish Family Services of Ottawa whose elder abuse awareness project will go a long way to ensure that immigrant seniors living in ethno-cultural communities are safer and more secure. This project will help seniors better protect themselves from the many forms of elder abuse, such as neglect and financial abuse. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is a great opportunity for Canadians to remember that seniors have played a central part in building this country, and they deserve to enjoy the best quality of life possible.”
– The Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors)“This project has enabled, for the first time, Jewish family service agencies across the country to work together to address elder abuse in communities that often fall through the cracks. By engaging members of various communities in their respective languages, volunteering seniors and non-seniors work together to empower others to respond to, and protect themselves from elder abuse. Jewish Family Services Ottawa is proud to be leading this project, and is thankful for the funding that has made it possible.”
– Mark Zarecki, Executive Director, Jewish Family Services of Ottawa