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- Published: 22 September 2016
CNPEA would like to thanks its members for attending the Network’s 2016 AGM and voting in a new slate of officers. Congratulations to our newly elected members: Sherry Baker, Leah Cohen, Susan Crichton,Andrew Elinesky, Jennifer Gurke, Kelly Heisz, Barb Hood, Kathy Majowski, Sharon McKenzie, Par Power, Raeann Rideout and Jocelyn Yerxa. (To know more about our Board members, check out Who We Are)
CNPEA would also like to thank its outgoing Board members - Olive Bryanton, Elliot PausJenssen, Elizabeth Podnieks, and Terry Rideout - for their tireless commitment to supporting the Network's growth and development as a national organization.
The CNPEA Board of Directors would particularly like to recognize Dr.Elizabeth Podnieks, who is stepping down from the Board this year, after 18 years of dedication and leadership to the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse. In recognition of Elizabeth’s outstanding work for CNPEA and the fight against elder abuse, the Board of directors has elected Elizabeth Podnieks as Honorary Board Member of the Network.
Dr. Elizabeth Podnieks has a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Toronto, a Master of Environmental Science from York University, Toronto and a Doctor of Education in Sociology from the University of Toronto.
She is presently a professor emeritus at Ryerson University ’s School of Nursing in Toronto.In 1991, Elizabeth conducted the National Survey on Abuse of the Elderly in Canada, which became a landmark survey. The first to be national in scope, it marked an important step toward understanding the extent of the problem of elder abuse in Canada and raise public awareness of the issue.
Later on, Elizabeth also did several pieces of research on elder abuse in different countries. Elizabeth is one of the founding members of three key organizations: the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA – now Elder Abuse Ontario), CNPEA, and the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA). She has served on the executive for all three bodies and has actively promoted the value of Networks at all levels.
Elizabeth Podnieks was the architect of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) in 2003. She generated the project World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Cyberspace, working with national and international partners to harness social media in raising awareness of senior abuse. She is a pioneer in elder abuse work in faith communities and raising awareness of elder abuse among children and adolescents.
Elizabeth worked on a project with the National Film Board of Canada to produce a film about elder abuse- A House divided: Caregiver Stress and Elder Abuse. She is also the author of many publications dealing with caregiver stress, abuse of elderly and gerontological nursing.
Elizabeth Podnieks received the Order of Canada for her work in the area of abuse prevention. On June 14th, 2012, she also received the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in recognition of her lifetime commitment and efforts. Elizabeth was recently elected honorary director of the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (United States). Elizabeth received the National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) National Rosalie Wolf Award 2013 and the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) International Rosalie Wolf Award for 2013, becoming the first person to be the recipient of two Rosalie Wolf awards in the same year.
