Grey Bruce Elder Abuse Prevention (GBEAP) has launched a new poster and educational campaign to help combat elder abuse in the area.
A subcommittee of Violence Prevention Grey Bruce, Grey Bruce Elder Abuse Prevention have created a poster with information on local resources for seniors that need help as well as educational presentations. The campaign received support in the form of a grant from Community Foundation Grey Bruce, but the COVID-19 pandemic postponed the campaign in 2020. It will now run from January through March 2021. Elder abuse can include physical violence, financial abuse, neglect or abandonment or psychological and emotional abuse.
According to Grey Bruce Elder Abuse Prevention, calls to the provincial Seniors Safety Line have risen 300% during the pandemic, and the risk of falling victim to a scam or being exploited has risen for seniors. For more information on the campaign, visit violencepreventiongreybruce.com or email coordinator@violencepreventiongreybruce.com. To learn more about elder abuse, visit Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario at eapon.ca.
“We wanted to create a resource that would be accessible for seniors”, says Jon Farmer, coordinator of Violence Prevention Grey Bruce. “The posters come in two sizes and with a large font so that folks with limited vision can read them. We can send them out to any organization or individual who asks for them. Originally, we planned to offer in person educational sessions to community groups but the pandemic makes that impossible. Instead we’ll be offering online and teleconference sessions so that people can learn more about the issue and where to access help in Grey Bruce."
Farmer also says more conversations need to be had.
“We’ve heard a lot in the news about the impact the pandemic is having on seniors in long term care and seniors’ vulnerability to the virus itself but we also need to increase community conversations about the increased risk of elder abuse and how to recognize the signs and symptoms. We need people to know what the risk factors are and how to access services so that seniors are better supported by their loved ones as well as better prepared to protect themselves”.
