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To mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released an interactive database of 89 interventions that show promise to prevent and respond to elder abuse. This database is the first product of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing's Intervention Accelerator initiative, an international network of experts working to develop a portfolio of effective approaches to counter the abuse of older people.
The new WHO database "is a critical first step towards developing and scaling up cost-effective solutions to address abuse of older people, which has been highlighted as one of five priorities to tackle the issue during the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030)," said Dr Etienne Krug, Director of the Department of Social Determinants of Health, WHO. "It is high time to do more as a global community to address this neglected but seriously harmful problem. I encourage all stakeholders committed to ending the abuse of older people to use and build on this evidence-based tool."
The database contains 89 promising interventions identified through a rigorous search and screening of nearly 14 000 scientific studies. The aims of these interventions include:
- improving knowledge of abuse of older people among professionals to increase the likelihood of detection and reporting;
- raising awareness of the issue;
- reducing mental health symptoms among victims of abuse; and
- preventing abuse.
Older people who have experienced or are at risk of abuse were the main targets of these interventions, although a significant proportion were also aimed at caregivers, perpetrators of abuse and institutions. Over half of the identified interventions were implemented in the United States of America, which emphasizes the need to conduct more research in low- and middle-income countries.
The new database is a rich repository of evidence-based interventions to address abuse of older people that can inform future research and practice in the field by governments, international organizations, civil society organizations, academics, practitioners, and funders.
The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing Intervention Accelerator on abuse of older people will build on this database by further evaluating these interventions for refinement, adaptation and real-world testing. Ultimately, the aim is to create a portfolio of interventions, supported by high-quality evidence, that can be implemented and scaled up globally to prevent and respond to the abuse of older people.
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Are you a committed, passionate person?
Are you looking for an opportunity to make a difference, educate, and help prevent elder abuse across Canada?
The Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (CNPEA) is looking to fill positions on its Board of Directors!
ABOUT CNPEA
CNPEA is a registered charity committed to improving the well-being of Canada’s aging population. CNPEA builds awareness, support and capacity for a coordinated pan-Canadian approach to the prevention of elder abuse and neglect. We promote the rights of older adults through knowledge mobilization, collaboration, policy reform and education.
Please note: CNPEA is not an advocacy group or a direct service provider.
ABOUT OUR BOARD
Our board is pan Canadian, and our board members bring a wide array of backgrounds and expertise, ranging from health care, to social work, academia, non-profit, and finance. The board of directors oversees the governance, strategic planning and operations of the organization, in accordance with our mission, vision and strategic plan.
CALL FOR NEW BOARD MEMBERS
We are seeking candidates who are eager to provide leadership for a growing network and who are committed to enhancing awareness and prevention of elder abuse in Canada.
This year we are particularly interested in candidates living in Manitoba, PEI, Quebec, Nunavut, North West Territories, Yukon and Saskatchewan. Knowledge or experience relating to elder abuse prevention is welcome but not required.
Commitment
Board members are expected to:
- Attend monthly board meetings. There are usually 10 board meetings per year (1.5 hr each). They take place on the second Thursday of the month at 10 AM Pacific/12pm Central/ 1PM Eastern/2.30 Newfoundland time. There is also an Annual General Meeting each September.
Please note: All meetings are held via a web-based conferencing tool (Zoom). Familiarity with these types of tools and an internet connection are required to participate.
- Serve on at least one committee of their choice.
- Provide guidance regarding the Network’s mission, programs, policies, operations, strategic plan, and finances.
- Actively support the sustainability and growth of the CNPEA through charitable giving and fundraising activities.
- Actively support the development of partnerships and strategic alliances with other organizations and agencies.
- Represent CNPEA in their community and raise awareness among their contacts.
Average Time Commitment
- 5-7 hours/month: Zoom meetings and emails. Committee and board meetings are currently scheduled during the day.
- Board members will typically be elected for two-year terms (for a maximum of 6 consecutive years), so a two-year commitment to the organization is recommended. The CNPEA membership by regular motion may agree to some Board terms to be less than 2 years.
What we are looking for
- Committed and reliable individuals with a passion for elder abuse prevention, interest in issues affecting older Canadians, and a willingness to commit to 5-7 hours a month.
- A positive attitude and willingness to contribute are important to us. As stated before, experience in the field of elder abuse prevention is not mandatory.
- Individuals from jurisdictions across Canada. We strive to have board members from each jurisdiction, in order to be representative of our membership. Due to current or upcoming gaps in representation, we are particularly interested in candidates living in Manitoba, PEI, Quebec, Nunavut, North West Territories, Yukon and Saskatchewan.
- Applicants with a background in (but not limited to) the health sector, community support, law, victim services, financial sector, public policy, fundraising, knowledge translation and mobilization, research, etc.
- We are particularly interested in candidates with the following skills:
- Financial management - Familiarity with the not-for-profit sector and previous experience in a board treasurer role ideal but not mandatory.
- Fund development (including, but not limited to, grant writing, sponsorships and giving programs)
- Strategic planning
- Communications and marketing
- Website development
- Policy and procedure development
- Government relations
- Individuals who are affiliated with other relevant national, P/T, or local networks that provide information, services or are otherwise connected to seniors.
- We wish to welcome and include diverse voices to sustain intersectionality in our work and reflect Canada’s diversity. Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour, immigrant, francophone, and 2SLGBTQ identifying candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and of all ages.
What’s in it for you?
- Collaborate with stakeholders from across Canada, and network with a growing number of professionals involved in the prevention of elder abuse.
- Learn about meaningful programs, services and research taking place to help prevent and address elder abuse.
- Gain experience in governance, leadership, planning, and community engagement.
- Participate in shaping a society free of elder abuse.
HOW TO APPLY
Please apply by completing this form by Friday, July 26, 2024, 7 PM Eastern.
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We were deeply saddened to learn that the founding Executive Director of the Advocacy Centre for the Elderly (ACE), Judith Wahl, passed away on May 15 in Toronto, after a short battle with cancer.
Judith will be remembered by all for her fierce advocacy for seniors, her lifetime work on the issues of consent, capacity and substitute decision-making which she fought for until the end, her work in supporting legal clinics throughout Ontario, and her refusal to back down from a fight. Judith was a graduate of the University of Toronto (1974) holding a B.A. with Honours in English Language and Literature, and of Osgoode Hall Law School at York University (1977) with an LL.B. She was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1979. She articled and spent five years in private practice with the esteemed Toronto law firm Birenbaum, Koffman, Steinberg (now Birenbaum, Steinberg, Landau, Savin & Colraine LLP, founded by the legendary David A. Croll – Canada’s first Jewish senator – and that counted Norman Borins, Stephen Borins, Jerry Birenbaum and Howard Steinberg among its several partners).Judith went on to become the first employee and the founding Executive Director of ACE in 1984. In this role, she set the tone for the work that continues at ACE to this day. Her voice is heard throughout the legal world, whether it be in elder law; health law; consent, capacity and substitute decision-making; long-term care homes; retirement homes; or the many other areas in which she had an impact as Canada’s first elder-law lawyer.
She continued to work on behalf of older adults after her retirement from ACE in 2017, creating Wahl Elder Consulting, and she continued to speak, write and advocate throughout. Judith's visionary leadership transformed a modest legal-aid clinic into a renowned institution with provincial, national, and international recognition for its expertise in elder law. Her unparalleled commitment to safeguarding the rights, interests, dignity and autonomy of older adults has left an indelible mark on the legal and advocacy landscape. Judith's influence extends far beyond the confines of ACE, as evidenced by her pivotal roles in the development of elder law, the development of legislation, and landmark legislative initiatives.
Judith's colleagues at ACE have shared an In Memoriam Announcement that speaks in detail to Judith’s illustrious service to older adults through the development of elder law as a distinct area of legal practice in Canada.
Judith will be missed by all. She made a significant difference in lives of many. Her legacy will live on through the work of ACE, and through her immeasurable contributions to elder law on behalf of seniors everywhere.
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On April 16th 2024, Canada’s Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland introduced the 2024 Budget for the federal government entitled Fairness for Every Generation. While CNPEA applauds the intent of the federal Budget 2024, the commitment to “generational fairness” fell short by putting most of the focus on younger generations, particularly when it comes to housing and employment, and largely omitting older Canadians.
CNPEA was pleased to see some of the announcements, particularly regarding health care and caregiving, such as:
- the commitment to develop a National Caregiving Strategy,
- steps towards helping provinces offer provide home-care options for older people
- the promotion of new rural health care workers (which should benefit the largely older, rural population)
- promises to advance the Safe Long Term Care Act to support new national, long-term care standards
We recognize that more seniors will have access to dental services through the Canadian Dental Care Plan, and Health Canada will receive 1.5 billion over 5 years to initiate the National Pharmacare program.This said, older people in Canada are more than care recipients. The federal government’s commitment to establishing a Safe Long Term Care Act, while important and commendable, does not address the everyday needs of the majority of older people who live independently. They deserve to see their rights to housing, employment, and safety and security addressed specifically, and funded thoroughly.
Noticeably absent from the 2024 Budget are announcements regarding elder abuse prevention and awareness, gender-based violence in later life, or any other form of violence and discrimination against older people. And while several new Criminal Code offences specific to auto thefts were proposed, there is still no sign of the long-promised Criminal Code changes relative to elder abuse which have been on the mandate letter of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General for several years now. While we applaud the Federal Budget’s repeated nods to gender equality, diversity, and inclusion, we are worried that these efforts do not specifically recognize older people as an equity-deserving group.
This Federal Government failed to acknowledge the needs of Canada's growing aging population and to address them in this new budget. 1 in 5 people in Canada are currently 65 and over and their number is expected to rise to 10.4 million by 2037, with the 75 and over demographic growing at a faster pace. In recent elections, voters aged 65 to 74 had the highest turnout at the polls, something which the Federal government should take more seriously.
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BY MEGAN CREIG
Aura Freedom International recently unveiled a new project titled “GBV in the media.” The project, funded by Women and Gender Equality Canada, builds on the organization's previous work which aims to eradicate sex trafficking and all violence against women.
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