COVID-19 or not, elder abuse is a budding crisis in Alberta

For some in Alberta, the worst of COVID-19 has passed. For others, it’s time to pick up the pieces and heal.

On June 16, Alberta’s government pledged $750,000 to support elder abuse prevention and intervention initiatives. Approximately $650,000 of this funding will help coordinated community responses with local governments, non-profit organizations, businesses, health service providers and police services to increase support for seniors subjected to abuse.

“Seniors built this province and are the strength of Alberta,” said Seniors and Housing Minister Josephine Pon. “Unfortunately, they are not always treated with the respect they deserve… as one in ten are subject to abuse in the province.”

Condemning elder abuse in all its forms, she is hopeful these new initiatives will unite Alberta’s government with community organizations across the province.

Shantel Ottenbreit, chair of the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council, said a coordinated, collaborative response supports the outstanding work ongoing in communities and prioritizes elder safety and well-being.

“Over the past few years, service providers in Alberta have been working hard [during COVID-19] to raise awareness about elder abuse, which affects so many older adults in creating additional strains on families,” she said. “We know that seniors need access to case management services more than ever, so we are encouraged that this initiative is that initiative that is being undertaken at this time.”

The council intends to use the remaining funding to provide ongoing support for grant recipients, like Calgary’s Kerby Centre, to provide enhanced elder abuse awareness training for service providers and responders.

Its former president, now Calgary mayoral candidate Zane Novak was encouraged to hear the Alberta government dedicate nearly $50,000 to the Kerby Centre to protect seniors.

“Having served on the board for eight years, this announcement is timely,” he said. “Their ability to engage in outreach and spread awareness on elder abuse provides an invaluable service to our community."

For example, the Kerby Centre's Elder Abuse Response Team is a collaboration with the Calgary Police Service that assists police and social workers to respond to allegations of abuse.

According to the Centre, elder abuse includes emotional, physical, sexual, or financial abuse, as well as neglect, and violation of rights, but current Kerby Centre president Larry Mathieson says the definition used by the province does not go far enough. The province defines elder abuse as any action or inaction by self or others that jeopardizes the health or well-being of an older adult.

“It fails to account for those cases of elder abuse that go unreported in Calgary and across the province, but that being said, I applaud Minister Pon for taking action,” he said. “In 2019 and 2020, we had a 99 percent occupancy rate in our shelter, and cases of elder abuse during COVID-19 exacerbated what has been a growing problem.”

Rates of family violence, including elder abuse, tend to increase during and following natural disasters, public health crises and economic downturns.

The Alberta government confirmed its intent to engage Albertans and seek input on a revised provincial definition of elder abuse.

Ottenbreit believes this will be paramount to continuing to understand the changing landscape of elder abuse and said despite the lack of quantitative data at this time, the province is seeing financial abuse on the rise, as well as physical and emotional or psychological abuse as the primary forms.

More information on the results of stakeholder engagement on the definition of elder abuse will be made available later this year.