SUNDRE - A strong community in which people know their neighbours is an important factor in the effort to address elder abuse.
“It’s not a community if you don’t know the people on your block,” said Janice Cooper, a seniors’ advocate.
Cooper, who was part of a recent presentation about elder abuse, encourages people to knock on their neighbours’ doors to establish a connection. Introducing oneself does not mean having to be intrusive, she said.
About half a dozen people attended on Thursday, Jan. 9 at the Sundre Seniors' Supportive Living facility's Drop-in Centre a workshop dubbed It’s Not Right.
Through funding from the New Horizons for Seniors Grant, the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society (GNP) is pursuing a new project.
Shoshannah Reed, elder abuse prevention coordinator, is seeking additional recruits to join a Senior Advisory Partnership (SAP) group to work on an initiative called Seniors Protected and Respected Under Community Engagement (SPRUCE).
The It’s Not Right program already exists throughout Canada and the initiative is launching in the province. The Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council hired a provincial coordinator to launch this program in the province, said Reed.
Efforts are underway to approach and offer presentations to a multitude of organizations and businesses, including but not limited to the municipality, the RCMP, emergency shelters, Peaks to Prairies Primary Care Network, GNP, pharmacies, banks, and the Foothills Terrace Condominium Association, she said.
The primary objective of the presentations, she added, is to help equip people with the tools to not only identify signs of elder abuse, but also to know appropriate and safe steps to take if they are concerned someone they know is at risk.
Marie Sihlis, a lodge resident, attended the workshop to learn more about what is considered elder abuse.
“I don’t sense or haven’t experienced any myself that I recognized,” Sihlis said, but added she sought to be aware of the signs to look out for.
A resident from the Eagle Hill area, who the Round Up decided not to identify out of respect for the privacy of her neighbour, conveyed concerns about a senior living next door.
“It’s one of the main reasons I’m here today,” she said, expressing a desire to obtain information on how to proceed and provide help.
Reed said the SAP’s efforts are “the brainchild” of the coordinated community response (CCR) to address elder abuse and raise awareness about the issue. SPRUCE, she added, is the umbrella organization under which the SAP and CCR now operate.
While instances of elder abuse can occur anywhere, Sundre is at a higher risk because of a much higher percentage of seniors, about 23 per cent, compared with the provincial average, which is roughly 11 per cent, said Reed, citing Statistics Canada figures.
Seniors who might be interested in joining SAP, or anyone else who wants to get involved or who has ideas, can call the GNP office at 403-638-1011.
Anybody who’s concerned about someone they know can also call GNP, where the seniors’ advocates are working. Additionally, seniors who are seeking help might be reluctant to do so out of fear of reprisal, but the SAP can provide a neutral third party. Someone who is facing immediate danger, however, should contact the police, she said.
Among the warning signs that might indicate a senior is at risk include sudden personality shifts and reclusion, such as a previously outgoing individual who ceases to show up at regular activities he or she used to enjoy participating in, said Reed.
“The community and social mentality that’s happening in today’s culture is, ‘Oh, I don’t want to be nosy,' " she said.
“Whereas before, it was ‘Go check on your neighbour, check on your friend, (and ask them) why aren’t you showing up?' "
There are times when an elder enduring abuse might respond to someone who expresses concern by saying they’re just fine. Abusers are often related, and victims might be reluctant to speak out for fear of bringing shame on themselves, she said.
Even so, Reed encourages everyone who has concerns about someone they know to just reach out and ask how he or she is doing. A single such encounter, accompanied by a simple smile, can mean a world of difference for someone who is struggling, she said.
“Let those people know there’s an open door; let them know they can talk if they want to.”
Cooper agrees, and also hopes people will consider trying to connect with seniors in the community. It’s easy, she added.
“Just smile! Ask them how they’re doing. When you’re at the supermarket, make a point, no matter how old you are, or how young you are, you say ‘hello’ to the person you see in the aisle,” she said, adding such a small gesture will spark a light in their eyes.
“You watch; you go and try it!”
People tend to be so preoccupied with everything happening in their personal lives, but at some point, today’s 20-somethings will become tomorrow’s seniors, she said.
“What will you look back on, what are your memories, how have you treated the people in your life, and have you gained the knowledge you need to cope with your life?”
Seniors have an extensive life experience to draw from and no shortage of knowledge to impart, she said.
“I’m passionate about seniors; seniors mean everything to me.”
Although 72, Cooper said she doesn’t think of herself as a senior, and wonders when many people apparently stopped loving society’s elders.
“That’s what gives me passion,” she said, expressing a commitment to help rekindle that compassion.
Jane Atkins, another seniors’ advocate who participated in the presentation, said a take-away point is not to be a bystander if you suspect potential abuse.
“In our community, we’re lucky to have Greenwood Neighbourhood Place that will help field their requests to whoever is relevant,” said Atkins.
The seniors’ advocates also want to develop a kind of contact flow chart so people “know where to go, and when to go there,” she said.
Having previously experienced challenging situations in her own personal life without knowing where to turn for her questions, Atkins said, “I knew something had to be done.”
“I thought this is an excellent way to start in our small community to make it an awesome place to age,” she said about her motivation to become an advocate.
“I want to make sure other people don’t find themselves at a dead end without knowing where to turn.”
