Blog

Details: Published: 14 June 2021

Shared with permission from the Canadian Centre for Elder Law
Author: Monika Steger, CCEL legal intern

July 2021 Update
The JUST Standing Committee has released its report based on these hearings. You can access it here.

Introduction
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights (“JUST”) reports on and reviews different policies, programs, and other plans for the House of Commons. The committee has completed a wide range of work, including examining the impact of COVID-19 on the judicial system and considering how the pandemic has increased intimate partner violence. Much of the committee’s work concerns criminal law reform. Currently, the committee is conducting a Study of Elder Abuse. While elder abuse has been a long-standing issue within Canada, this study is particularly pertinent in light of the long-term care crisis during COVID-19. In this blog post we review issues discussed at the Committee’s meetings and summarize CCEL’s submission to the Committee.

Details: Published: 04 June 2021

june 15 2021 scaled The BC Association of Community Response Networks (BCCRN) is working to keep older vulnerable adults safe on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

BCCRN is a provincial umbrella organization that supports Community Response Networks across the province of British Columbia to respond to adults experiencing or being impacted by abuse, neglect or self neglect. On June 15th, BCCRN wants you to get involved in their initiative to educate on older adults and elder abuse. This is how you can get involved:

Wear Purple!
On June 15, post pictures of your community’s “purple power” to social media with the hashtag #BCCRNWEAAD2021, or email them to BCCRNs to include in an upcoming E-Connector edition. Don’t forget to tag BC CRN in your photos! (Handle: @BCCRNS for Facebook and Twitter.)
Download any of the #BCCRNWEAAD2021 images (Social Media Images) and post them to your social media to show your support!
Download the press release template, and work with your organization to finalize and send it to local news agencies and media outlets.
Volunteer with your local Community Response Network (CRN) in a pandemic safe WEAAD activity. Find out more about local events across B.C here.

Details: Published: 25 May 2021

My name is Laura Griffin (They/them), and I am the new Education Outreach Coordinator for the Summer. I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology, Gender Studies and Criminology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. I am a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Social Work program from Ryerson University. In addition, I will be starting the Master of Social Work program at Wilfrid Laurier University starting in September. My social work practice aligns with anti-oppressive, anti-racist, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+ and feminist work.

In 2019, I took a class called “Gerontology: Critical Issues and Future Trends.” As someone who grew up in an aging province, Newfoundland Labrador, I came to Ontario with the hopes to develop new ideas and approaches on how to better the lives of our aging population. Applying an aging perspective, this course exposed me to new learnings on how to improve and implement Social Work practice that address abuse, trauma and barriers to well-being in older adults. But it became much more than that, it exposed me to the importance of palliative care, housing and health care accessibility. Understanding abuse and the prevention of abuse is of the utmost importance in Social Work practice. We are often the frontline for the prevention, safety and wellbeing for our aging service users. The Gerontology courses I mentioned earlier were where I first learned about the many networks, organizations and agencies working towards creating, providing and supporting a better and safe society for our aging population. I am honoured to hold a position with the Canadian Network of the Prevention of Elder Abuse who, in a beautiful community, work towards this mission and goal.

Details: Published: 29 April 2021

Like many Canadians, CNPEA, provincial/territorial elder abuse prevention networks, and local agencies have eagerly awaited the announcement of the federal budget 2021.

The announcement of funding to tackle systemic inequities that flared under Covid-19, and to fight gender-based violence is very encouraging. We are particularly pleased to see commitments to long-term-care and to seniors’ mental health, as well as significant resourcing to support aging in place. Fostering the social inclusion, and the mental and physical well-being of older Canadians - in the community and in long term care - is a crucial step toward lowering risk factors for elder abuse and neglect.