Details: Published: 02 April 2025

A CANADA FOR ALL AGES:

CNPEA calls for action to make aging a safe and fulfilling experience in Canada

The Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (CNPEA) is urging all political parties to make the well-being and safety of older adults a priority of their election platforms.

CNPEA calls on all political parties to take a stand against discrimination, violence and neglect facing older people. These forms of violence, coercion, and financial exploitation have a devastating impact on our families, our communities, our healthcare system and our economy.

1 in 10 older people experience mistreatment each year.
A recent Canadian study estimates that 1 in 10 older adults experiences abuse or neglect each year. This is likely a low estimate, due to underreporting, and fragmented or inconsistent monitoring across the legal, health, and social systems. Financial abuse, fraud and exploitation are among the most common forms, representing enormous financial losses.

Elder abuse is not an isolated, individual issue that can be chalked up to a few “bad apples”, it is a wide-spread, systemic issue with deep connections to ageism, ableism, gender-based violence, and economic disparity. Elder abuse rates have been on the rise since the pandemic. Across communities, older people are trapped in abusive situations, feeling ashamed and isolated. They often feel unable to reach out for help or are faced with insufficient, inadequate support services. This is an ongoing crisis that affects us all. We all deserve to live free from abuse, at every stage of our lives. CNPEA is calling on our leaders to support and enact a comprehensive, meaningful plan to tackle ageism, mistreatment and neglect against older people and help us all age with safety, dignity and meaning.

CNPEA’s Calls to Action:

In Future Us, a Roadmap to Elder Abuse Prevention in Canada, CNPEA outlined what a national action plan on elder abuse and neglect prevention could look like, articulated over three key priorities:

Prioritize elder abuse prevention in every community.
Establish and support elder abuse prevention networks at local, regional and national levels.
Teach everyone to recognize warning signs of abuse and neglect, how to respond safely and effectively and where to refer in the community to find help.

Now we call on our leaders to commit to the following actions to support safe and healthy aging in Canada:

Develop stronger legal protections & accountability

Establish new offences and penalties in the Criminal Code related to elder abuse and amend existing legislation to protect all older adults;
Develop strategies to better safeguard seniors from fraud and financial scams;
Increase resources to public safety agencies to support the prosecution of repeat offenders targeting older adults, particularly in cases of fraud and financial abuse;
Improve reporting mechanisms and standardized data collection on mistreatment of older adults.
Establish a Federal Seniors’ Advocate Office.

Create a comprehensive plan to tackle ageism, elder abuse and neglect and address the needs and rights of older people in Canada.

Reinstate a Minister to look after the seniors’ portfolio and expand the position to that of Minister for Older Adults and Intergenerational Equity;
Develop and implement a national elder abuse prevention strategy;
Incorporate approaches based on the human rights of older adults and people living with a disability into service delivery policies and legal frameworks;
Support the development of an U.N. Convention on the Rights of Older People.

Place the focus on wide public education and awareness.

Develop national multimedia campaigns on elder abuse and ageism;
Mandate elder abuse and ageism training (using the Public Health Agency of Canada’s trauma and violence-informed principles) for police officers, first responders, health care professionals, and other professionals who serve older people in any capacity;
Educate public servants in all departments on elder abuse and ageism.

Invest in the elder abuse prevention infrastructure

Sustained funding for elder abuse prevention networks and response organizations will strengthen networks and improve coordinated community response, facilitating help-seeking process and improving data collection at the same time.
Fund 'Community Seniors' Navigators to support local Elder Abuse Prevention Networks (volunteer-based networks) in outreach, education, and navigation of community safety, health and legal services.
Leverage expertise of existing organizations like CNPEA to develop effective education, prevention and intervention strategies.

Noone should be scared to grow older. The cycle of abuse can be stopped.

Our next federal government must recognize that the mistreatment of older people is a quiet epidemic that demands urgent action. Older people currently represent one fifth of our country’s population, one fourth by 2030. They are a demographically significant and politically active group that requires our leaders’ attention. We will be closely monitoring candidates’ platforms this coming election and we will be ready to engage with each of them to ensure that elder abuse prevention and the well-being of older people are prioritized.

For Media inquiries or to learn more, contact:
Benedicte Schoepflin, Executive Director, CNPEA

Details: Published: 31 March 2025

By Heather Campbell Pope
Author’s note: This is an updated version of an article posted on the CNPEA blog in June 2015.

With Canadians heading to the polls on April 28, a common question is whether people with dementia are eligible to vote in the federal election. The answer is yes. ivoted parker johnson v0owc skg0g unsplash

According to the Canada Elections Act, every Canadian citizen who is at least 18 years old on polling day is qualified to vote. The legislation places no restrictions on voting rights for individuals with mental disabilities, including those with neurocognitive disorders like dementia.

While many democracies worldwide deny the right to vote based on cognitive impairment, Canada is among a handful of countries that universally protect this sacred right for all adult citizens, enshrining it in section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

“The right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and the rule of law and cannot be lightly set aside,” wrote former Supreme Court of Canada chief justice Beverley McLachlin in a 2002 decision on prisoner voting rights.[1]

Yet from time to time, and often influenced by American politics, voting rights for people with dementia are threatened. For example, concern surged after the 2000 U.S. presidential election, when George W. Bush won by just 537 votes in Florida, a state with a large senior population.

“Precisely because Alzheimer’s disease insidiously erodes the ability to make reasoned judgments informed by knowledge of recent and remote events, it is somewhat unnerving to consider that patients with dementia may routinely contribute to selecting the leader of the free world,” wrote two doctors in a medical journal.[2]

Others have expressed similar concerns. In New Zealand, for instance, a nursing home industry executive suggested it could be paradoxical for dementia unit residents to be registered to vote if they have been deemed unfit to make their own decisions: “To be able to determine someone has the will and ability to vote in an aged residential care secure dementia unit, I think, is a very high threshold. And I don’t see how it can be met.”[3]

Concerns about dementia and the capacity to vote are legitimate, but it helps to think about riding a bike. “Capacity to vote is much like the capacity to ride a bicycle, which can be determined accurately only by allowing the individual to mount a bike and start pedaling,” writes the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging and the Penn Memory Center.[4] “If capacity is lacking, the task just won’t be completed.”

To be sure, there are genuine worries that long-term care residents will be exploited for partisan gain. Care homes are often heavily visited by candidates during an election, which is a good thing that facilitates political inclusion, but it can create situations where cognitively frail voters are unduly influenced and pressured into voting a certain way.

Family members and caregivers can also cross the line into undue influence, essentially voting twice and undermining electoral legitimacy.

Among seniors living at home, those who receive care from an adult child are at a heightened risk of being excluded from the democratic process. This population is less likely to vote than seniors who receive care at home from a spouse.[5] Oftentimes an adult child simply does not have the time to take their parent to the polling station, due to work, childcare or other responsibilities during the day, while others purposely prevent their older parent from voting.

What do voting rights have to do with elder abuse? In some cases, preventing a senior from casting a ballot can be about control and isolation, a common tactic of abusers that can include a pattern of deliberate behaviours like withholding medication, intercepting mail, denying visitors and restricting religious practices.

More often care partners are simply mistaken about voting rights, innocently assuming that people with dementia cannot vote. But this still undermines the person’s sense of dignity and self-worth—and violates their civic right and responsibility to cast their ballot.

To enhance political participation among people with dementia, let’s keep raising public awareness that Canadians with dementia have the constitutional right to vote in the federal election.

Heather Campbell Pope is founder of Dementia Justice Canada, a small nonprofit dedicated to safeguarding the rights and dignity of people with dementia.

[1] Sauve v. Canada (Chief Electoral Officer), 2002 SCC 58 at para. 9 [for the majority].
[2] Victor W. Henderson & David A. Drachman, “Dementia, butterfly ballots, and voter competence” (2002) 58:7 Neurology 995.[3] Martin Taylor cited in RNZ, “Dementia patient vote questioned” (8 September 2014).
[4] American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging and the Penn Memory Center, “Assisting Cognitively Impaired Individuals with Voting: A Quick Guide.”
[5] J. H. Karlawish et al., “Do Persons with Dementia Vote?” (2002) 58 Neurology 1100, cited in Michael J. Prince, “Electoral Participation of Electors with Disabilities: Canadian Practices in a Comparative Context” (Prepared for Elections Canada, March 2012) at 19.

Details: Published: 26 March 2025

Gender-Based Violence
Among Older Adult Female Caregivers

A team at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health is seeking assistance in identifying potential public participants for a research project.

This project aims to develop an evidence-based needs assessment tool, which will be used to measure and assess the needs and factors that influence gender-based violence reporting and help-seeking among older adult female informal caregivers in Canada.

The final tool will be developed based on existing literature and pilot-testing a preliminary needs assessment survey, incorporating insights from older women with lived experience of informal caregiving. The team has developed the preliminary needs assessment survey and would like your assistance with recruiting participants to complete the short survey. The survey will be self-administered online and following completion of the survey, participants will be offered the option of participating in a follow-up interview over Zoom.

Seeking individuals with any of the lived experiences listed below:

women aged 55 years or older currently providing informal care to someone or individuals who have observed an older woman doing so

women aged 55 years or older with a previous experience of providing informal care to someone or individuals who have observed older women doing so

The team hopes to include a range of diverse voices representing various cultures as well as different geographic locations including urban, rural and remote.

Please share the attached flyer with any clients or contacts whom you believe may be interested in participating in this project. Download the flyer in PDF format here

Why participate?

Your input will be used to help improve care andsupport services for caregivers across Canada.

Contact:

If you would like more information about this project or have any questions, please reach out to:
Grace Hu at

Details: Published: 18 March 2025

March 18, 2025

Today CNPEA delivered a written submission to the Standing Senate Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs to help inform its study of Bill C-332, which proposes to make coercive control by intimate partners a standalone offence. While Bill C-332 is a positive step in the right direction, it must be noted that coercive control is not only perpetrated by intimate partners. Coercive control is also a common tactic of adult children and others in relationships of trust and dependency with an older person.

Bill C-332's limitation to intimate partner relationships neglects the complex and pervasive nature of such abuse among older adults. Recognizing that coercive control extends beyond intimate partner violence to include family, caregivers and others in positions of trust is critical to adequately protect older people, particularly those with added vulnerabilities, under the law.

CNPEA is urging senators to amend Bill C-332 so the proposed coercive control offence extends beyond intimate partners and protects elder abuse victims.

READ OUR FULL SUBMISSION HERE

Details: Published: 26 February 2025

Canada
2025

Fund Development Manager

Full time, One-Year Contract
Remote/Virtual (Must reside in Canada and be eligible to work in Canada)
Pay range: $36.50-39.80 per hour, commensurate with experience (no benefits)
Annual Salary: $71,204 to $77,612

ABOUT CNPEA

The Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (CNPEA) builds awareness, support, and capacity for a coordinated pan-Canadian approach to preventing elder abuse and neglect. We promote the rights of older adults through knowledge mobilization, collaboration, policy reform, and public education.

Our Vision: All older adults in Canada have the support they need to thrive within their communities and live free from violence and neglect.

Job Purpose

Reporting to the Executive Director, the Fund Development Manager will create and implement fund development strategies to help CNPEA achieve revenue objectives. The focus will be on securing sustainable funding, developing grant proposals, cultivating sponsorships, and stewarding donor relationships. The role also involves maintaining existing partnerships while fostering new ones.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Fund Development & Revenue Generation

Develop and implement strategic fund development and communications plans to meet annual fundraising targets.
Identify, cultivate, and secure funding from diverse sources, including individuals, foundations, corporate sponsors, and government grants.
Research and submit compelling grant proposals and funding applications.
Develop sponsorship packages, identify and secure sponsorship opportunities, and ensure fulfillment of sponsorship agreements.
Monitor industry trends to inform fundraising strategies and initiatives.
Maintain an awareness of societal issues and trends that relate to or affect CNPEA’s mission. Ensure this knowledge is embedded in fundraising materials.

Donor & Stakeholder Engagement

Build and maintain strong relationships with donors, funders, and corporate sponsors.
Develop and support donor stewardship and appreciation efforts.
Draft case statements, presentations, briefing notes, and marketing materials to support fundraising activities.
Maintain donor and partner records, ensuring accurate tracking of interactions and contributions.

Strategic Planning & Organizational Culture

Participate in strategic planning and budget development to align fund development activities with organizational priorities.
Champion fundraising and foster a culture of philanthropy within CNPEA.
Ensure fundraising initiatives reflect CNPEA’s values, promoting ethical practices and social responsibility.
Maintain and update a fundraising procedures manual.

Operational & Financial Management

Implement tracking mechanisms for fund development activities and prepare reports for the Executive Director and Board of Directors.
Work closely with the Executive Director and bookkeeper to reconcile gifts, accounts, fund allocations, and restricted funds.
Ensure compliance with fundraising regulations and best practices, including Canada Revenue Agency and Imagine Canada standards.

Additional Responsibilities

Perform other duties as required to support CNPEA’s mission and fundraising efforts.

Skills and Abilities

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling fundraising proposals.
Excellent organizational and time management skills to coordinate multiple deliverables.
Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities with demonstrated initiative and accountability.
Strong interpersonal skills to engage stakeholders and build productive relationships.
Ability to work independently in a remote work environment.
Commitment to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA).
French language skills are an asset.

Qualifications

Education & Knowledge

University degree or college diploma in a relevant discipline (or equivalent experience).
Knowledge of CRA regulations, Imagine Canada standards, and applicable privacy laws.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Suite, donor databases (e.g., DonorPerfect), fundraising platforms (e.g., CanadaHelps), content management systems,web conferencing tools (e.g., Zoom, Teams) and social media.
CFRE designation is an asset but not required.

Experience

3-5 years of experience in professional fundraising, including:
- Identifying, cultivating, soliciting, and stewarding gifts.
- Developing and executing fund development strategies.
- Preparing fundraising proposals, grants, letters, and donor communications.
- Managing donor databases and tracking fundraising data.
- Building and maintaining strategic partnerships with stakeholders.
- Meeting revenue development goals consistently.
- Experience in a non-profit organization; experience in a national organization is an asset.

Other Information

This position involves handling confidential information and requires a high degree of trustworthiness.

CNPEA values diversity and encourages applicants from all backgrounds. If comfortable, applicants may self-identify personal characteristics or experiences that align with our commitment to inclusion and equity.

APPLICATION PROCESS:

Application Deadline: April 25, 2025
Only applications submitted through Charity Village will be considered.
Applications will be considered, and applicants contacted, on a rolling basis.
We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.