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By Amandalina Letterio

SENIORS ADVOCATE OFFICE

BC Seniors Advocate Office report shows almost 50 per cent increase in abuse, neglect of seniors

Dec 9, 2021 | 4:13 PM

KAMLOOPS — The British Columbia Seniors Advocate Office has released a review on seniors abuse and neglect in the province.

The report reviews five years of existing data. In its findings, the review highlights that reports of abuse, neglect and self-neglect in people 65 and over has increased by almost 50 per cent in the past five years.

Now the seniors advocate’s office is calling on the Ministry of Health to make some significant changes.

Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie, says what makes these latest statistics in the Seniors Abuse and Neglect report even more troubling, is that they are under-reported.

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The pandemic and associated stresses have led to cases of financial abuse.

“More people were isolated during COVID-19. Financial stresses. So, we know that it’s not just about the senior having financial distress, it’s about their family around them having financial distress which could lead to the financial abuse we see,” said Mackenzie.

Mackenzie believes many of the issues highlighted in the seniors abuse report could be mitigated if the Ministry of Health creates one concise seniors helpline.

Many people don’t know who or where to call if they believe a senior is in distress.

“One number, well known. Where there’s a centralized case management and investigation system that can then report out, every year we can see reliably, how many cases we’ve had, how many have been substantiated, what was the outcome of the investigation,” said Mackenzie.

“Sadly, we’ve seen an uptick since the pandemic started,” explained The Centre for Seniors Information Executive Director, Brandi Allen.

“I get a lot of phone calls from people that are almost in tears. That you know, ‘You’re my fifth phone call today, I’m trying to find where I can get affordable meals or I’m trying to find transportation to and from a surgery that’s coming up,” said Allen.

The BC Seniors Advocate also recommends that the Ministry of Health also establish provincial standards of practice, and front-line training to respond to seniors abuse.

For the full report, click here.