For emergencies, call 911

LOCAL POLICE
Call your local police if the situation is not an emergency but you suspect it might be against the law. Ask to speak to someone who has been trained in senior abuse, or domestic/family violence.

Domestic Violence and Criminal Harassment Unit (DVACH) - Vancouver Police Department (VPD)
Teams consisting of community counsellors (employed by Family Services of Greater Vancouver) and VPD detectives provide investigative follow-up, emotional support, and advocacy to victims of high-risk domestic violence. There are also VPD officers who deal with criminal harassment, stalking cases, and elder abuse. 
604-717-2653

List of RCMP BC Detachments

Royal Canadian Mounted Police “E” Division – British Columbia 
General Inquiries: 604-264-3111
Fraud victims Assistance Guide
Website

211
Call 211 if you have a concern about a situation of inappropriate or abusive behaviour affecting the well-being of an older person. All information you share will be kept confidential.

You can also call or visit the 211 website to find general information, as well as specific programs and services for older adults in British Columbia. It is a place anyone can call for information about community, government and social services in BC.  

Seniors First BC
(formerly BCCEAS - BC Centre for Elder Advocacy and Support)
Seniors First BC works to prevent elder abuse and to provide assistance and support to older adults that are, or may be, abused and those whose rights have been violated. 
Email: 
Website

  • Seniors First offers the Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL)
    Available 8am-8pm daily (excluding holidays) 
    SAIL is a safe place for older adults, and those who care about them, to talk to someone about situations where they feel they are being abused or mistreated, or to receive information about elder abuse prevention. The SAIL line is less busy on weekends and during the evenings, so we suggest that you try calling during those times.

    Phone: 604-437-1940
    Toll-Free: 1-866-437-1940


    TTY Teletype for those who have access to TTY equipment : 604-428-3359
    Toll free: 1-855-306-1443
    Language Interpretation Available: 9am - 4pm, Monday - Friday  

BC Association of Community of Response Networks
A Community Response Network is a diverse group of concerned community members who come together to create a coordinated community response to adult abuse, neglect and self-neglect.
Website
Find a CRN in your area


BC Human Rights Tribunal (BCHRT) 
Phone: 604-775-2000 
Toll Free: 1-888-440-8844 
TTY: 604 775-2021
Email:
Website


BC Securities Commission
If you suspect questionable investment activity, contact the BCSC.
Telephone: 604-899-6854 or 1-800-373-6393 (toll free across Canada)
Email: 
You can also submit a tip or report a complaint about a company or individual at this link
Website

Burnaby Seniors Outreach Services Society (BSOSS)
Phone: 604-291-2258
Email:
Website

Community Living BC (CLBC) 
Community Living BC, or CLBC, is the provincial crown corporation that funds supports and services to adults with developmental disabilities, as well as individuals who have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and who also have significant difficulty doing things on their own. 
Website
Phone: 1-877-660-2522
Email: 
Find your local CLBC office

 
Crime Victim Assistance Program
Phone: 604-660-3888
Toll Free: 1-866-660-3888
Email:
Website


CrimeStoppers
Toll Free: 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
Website

Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC
Toll Free: 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433) 
TTY: 1-866-872-0113 
Email:
Website

Filipino Support Group (FSG) for the Prevention and Reduction of Elder Abuse
Provided by: Seniors Brigade Society of BC (SBSBC)
Free support group for Filipino seniors age 55 and over who are a Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident, have experienced or are experiencing abuse of any kind, seeking help on a voluntary basis, or referred by family, friends, or neighbours. Serves seniors who reside in Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey, and Vancouver.

Phone: 604-453-5885

KUU-US Crisis Response Line
The KUU-US Crisis Line Society operates a 24-hour provincial aboriginal crisis line for
Adults/Elders: 250-723-4050 or Toll Free Line: 1-800-588-8717
Website


MOSAIC Multicultural Victim Services Program
Vancouver service offers support, information, advocacy, accompaniments, and referrals.
Phone: 604-254-9626
Website


Office of the Seniors Advocate
Seniorsadvocatebc.ca 
Tel; 250.952.3181
Toll free: 1.877.952.3181  


Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia (PGT)
Phone: 604-660-4444 
Toll Free: 1-800-663-7867 
Email:
Website


Regional Health Authorities


First Nations Health Authority
The FNHA is responsible for planning, management, service delivery and funding of health programs, in partnership with First Nations communities in BC.  
www.FNHA.ca   
Telephone: 604-693-6500


QMunity, BC’s Queer Resource Centre 
QMunity offers coming out and support groups for older adults, a lending library, free professional counseling, legal clinics, referrals and workshops for LGBTQ older adults.
Phone: 604-684-5307 
Email:  
www.qmunity.ca
Generations Project (Older Adults): 604-684-8449 


Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter
Website
Crisis Line 604-872-8212
TTY: 604- 877-0958 (9AM to 9PM)
Email:

Victim Services Directory and Victim LINK
Website
VictimLinkBC is a toll-free, confidential, multilingual telephone service for victims of family and sexual violence, and all other crimes. It is available across B.C. and the Yukon 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-563-0808. 
TTY: 604-875-0885 
Email:
Website


Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) Rape Crisis Centre
Phone: 604-255-6344
Toll Free Crisis Line: 1-877-392-7583
Website


For emergencies, call 911

LOCAL POLICE
Call your local police if the situation is not an emergency but you suspect it might be against the law. Ask to speak to someone who has been trained in elder abuse, or domestic/family violence.

RCMPA -  Alberta Detachments

Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council
The Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council is a group of Albertans dedicated to increasing awareness and supporting a community response to elder abuse. 
www.albertaelderabuse.ca
Phone: 780-485-7863
Email: 

To find help in your community, all across Alberta
https://www.albertaelderabuse.ca/getting-help

Seniors Protection Partnership (Edmonton) 
(formerly called Elder Abuse Intervention Team)
https://www.edmonton.ca/programs_services/for_seniors/support-services.aspx
The Seniors Protection Partnership is a collaboration of the Edmonton Police Service, the City of Edmonton, Catholic Social Services, Covenant Health, and Sage (Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton). Its mission is to prevent and respond to high-risk cases of elder abuse by working in partnership with the community, thereby enhancing the well being of older adults.  To report or for more information on elder abuse, contact the Seniors Protection Partnership at 780-477-2929 or the Edmonton Police Service Complaint line at 780-423-4567.

CARYA (Calgary)
http://caryacalgary.ca/our-programs/older-adults/
Since April 2011, the Elder Abuse Response Team (EART) — a collaboration between Carya, Calgary Police Service, and the Kerby Centre — has been working to support older adults who have experienced abuse.  The EART is a multidisciplinary team of social workers and police officers that work together to investigate high risk and/or chronic cases of physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, psychological abuse, financial exploitation, neglect, and abandonment that affect older adults.

- To report a suspected case of elder abuse, contact the CPS Non-Emergency Line at 403-266-1234 

- To speak to a consultant or learn about resources, calle the Elder Abuse Resource Line at  403-705-3250

List of available 24-hour, toll-free helplines
https://www.alberta.ca/get-help-elder-abuse.aspx

  • Senior’s Abuse Support Line 
    780.454.8888 (available 24hrs a day)
  • Provincial Family Violence Information Line
    For resource information in your area
    Toll Free: 780-310-1818 (24 Hour) 


Safe Housing

Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter (CAWES) 
The Central Alberta Women’s Emergency Shelter offers safe refuge, personal counseling, and community support for families experiencing family violence.
Phone: 403-346-5643
Toll Free: 1-888-346-5643
Email:  (not monitored on weekends)  
Website: www.cawes.com  

Edmonton Seniors Safe Housing (Edmonton) 
Safe House Intake, Monday through Friday, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Phone: 780-702-1520


SUPPORT GROUP
Older Women’s Long-term Survival (OWLS) 
Support group for older adult women who were living in an abusive relationship, or were dealing with the effects of abuse.
Phone: 403-253-2912 (Calgary)

Protection for Persons in Care (PPC) 
PPC responds to reports of abuse in publicly-funded service providers such as: hospitals, seniors' lodges, nursing homes, mental health facilities, shelters, group homes, addictions treatment centres, many settings funded by the Persons with Developmental Disabilities program, and other supportive living settings.

  • Report abuse – To report abuse, or if you have concerns about the safety and security of a vulnerable adult, call 1-888-357-9339. 
  • Accommodation standards – For concerns or questions regarding accommodation standards, contact continuing care
  • Complaints about a guardian, trustee, co-decision maker or agent named in a personal directive – For concerns, questions or to make a complaint, contact the Office of the Public Guardian 

 

Where can I register for a membership? (link to the membership subscription box) How can I post content? I want to share some of my resources but I am unsure where to post them. Who should I contact? (link to my email) I want someone to review my blog entry. Who should I contact? (link to my email address) Where can I share my feedback about your site? (link to the feedback page) How can I access the message board? (link to message board) How can I start a new conversation thread? I don’t want to become a member but I want to contribute content, is this possible? (link to the membership/user login creation box) I want to intervene in an elder abuse situation, what should I do? (link to the other help page)

Congratulations! 

You’ve taken the first step to writing a feature blog for the Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (CNPEA). This is an opportunity to share your knowledge on a topic of interest to network members.

Our mission is to:

  • Connect people and organizations;
  • Foster the exchange of reliable and useful information; and
  • Advance program and policy development aimed at preventing the abuse of older adults.


By contributing to this blog, you can raise the profile of your organization and share your own insights. You can also make useful connections and start important conversations with other network members.

These guidelines will help you write and submit your draft. The blog coordinator will let you know within two weeks if your draft needs tweaking and when it will be scheduled for posting.

We do not have a pre-set word limit. Instead, we encourage you to say what you need to say as concisely as possible. Remember that your blog post isn’t the final word on the topic. It’s an invitation to a bigger conversation. Here are our top five tips for getting published:

  • Know your audience
  • Use natural language
  • Keep it short and simple
  • Include real examples
  • Invite connections


Know your Audience
The most important thing to remember is to write for the people you want to reach.
Who are they?  What interests them?  How does your story meet their needs?
The CNPEA membership is diverse. It includes lawyers, healthcare providers, social workers, community volunteers, and many others from across Canada. It’s important to tell your story in a way that people of different backgrounds can understand. Finding common ground is the starting point for building a lively network.

Use Natural Language
Write it the way you would say it in a conversation. Use language that your readers will understand, language that will help them share your ideas with their colleagues and allies.

Avoid jargon and technical terms, or explain the terms when they’re absolutely necessary. If you use an abbreviation, such as an acronym, spell it out in full the first time and put the abbreviation in brackets after the full spelling.

Be consistent with terms. For example, if you describe the same group of people as "specialists" and "practitioners" in the same article, readers might think you are talking about different people.

Keep it Short and Simple
Our members tell us they are busy and often overwhelmed by the amount of information they have to read in a day. And yet they are hungry for ideas they can use. Your message will stand out if it is clear and to the point.

  • Keep the introduction short and get right to the important information.
  • Focus on two to three key points. What do you want readers to remember? Emphasize that information to make it stick.
  • Keep sentences short and simple, with one main idea per sentence. You can vary your sentence length, but a good average is about 15 words per sentence.
  • Chunk your ideas into short paragraphs. Use a clear topic sentence at the beginning of each paragraph, and limit each paragraph to one topic.
    Follow the topic sentence with details, examples, and explanation. A paragraph with more than five sentences is probably too long. Sometimes a one-sentence paragraph is just what you need to emphasize a point.
  • If you are familiar with reading levels, aim for Grade 6 or 7. This doesn’t mean you are talking down to your readers. It means you will avoid a big word when a smaller word will do the job. It also means you will limit most sentences to one main idea and no more than about 15 words. (This paragraph scores at a Grade 4 level.)

Use Real Examples
Real examples or believable scenarios help to create pictures in the reader’s mind. Experienced writers often open with a real-life example that hooks the reader’s attention. The example might come from direct experience or from a story reported in the news.  Be mindful of privacy and confidentiality, and change personal identifying information, if appropriate.

Invite Connections 

  • Consider including links at the end or within the blog post where readers can get more information.
  • End with a question or invitation for more conversation. 
  • Include your name; organization or affiliation; and contact information. Feel free to include a short bio to help readers remember and relate to what you are doing to stop elder abuse. 


And Finally…
Suggest a headline and subheadline. But don’t fret over it. It’s an art. A good headline should have at least two relevant cues to readers—for example: “New public education program in Saskatchewan.” Since our network is national, it’s helpful to name your region and the category of information. We’ll fine-tune your headline for maximum impact.

If possible, provide logos, illustrations and photographs that can be included with your blog post. These should be high-resolution JPEG images. Also provide information that can be used to create captions or explain the attachments.


Writer’s block? Here are some questions to help you get started
Sometimes getting started is the hardest part. Some bloggers use a Question & Answer format to help them organize their ideas. Use it if it works for you, but feel free to gather and present your information in other ways. If you are going to use the Q&A format, keep the questions as simple and short as possible. Think about the key points you want to share and then develop questions to provide structure for your blog post.

Here are some questions to inspire you. Choose just a few, or develop your own:

  • What is the project’s objective?
  • Who are you trying to reach?
  • Which resources were most useful?
  • What feedback did you get from participants?
  • What is different about the approach you are taking?
  • Which approach was most effective?
  • What challenges did you face?
  • What did you learn through this approach?
  • How do you plan to sustain this initiative?
  • What advice would you give to others who want to try this approach?
  • What role did volunteers play?
  • How did you promote your workshop?
  • How did you develop community partnerships?
  • Is there anything else you would like to share

Happy blogging!

E-mail your submission to 
Put “blog post” in the subject line. 
Attach the text as a Word document and attach images (logos, illustrations, and photographs) in high-resolution JPEG format.

Click the appropriate answer for the following questions

 

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