Something to talk about

Elder abuse often goes unreported, but advocates say that it needs to come out in the open.

Lorraine Best, volunteer peer advocate at the St. John's Seniors Resource Centre, gave a talk on how to identify the problem and what to do about it during a seniors' luncheon at Labrador City's Royal Canadian Legion, June 22.

The luncheon was held in honour of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day proclaimed on June 15.

"We hope to raise awareness of what elder abuse really is and help seniors in our community recognize it when they see it," said Noreen Careen, executive director of Labrador West Status of Women and member on the provincial board of the Seniors Resource Centre.

Among families

"The thing of it is in small communities what we find there's lots of abuse among families," she explained. "When you're a senior that's probably dependant on their caregiver, there's lots of abuse that's taking place."

Best identified several different kinds of abuse including: financial, emotional, physical, and neglect.

She demonstrated how abuse is deep-seeded in our culture by bringing out cards like one that joked: "Ever thought of donating your body to medical science - they sure could use a laugh."

She also tried to get the point across that elder abuse is an act or a failure to act that harms an older person.

Best said that with all the different kinds of abuse, in many cases it's not just one that's perpetrated.

Financial-most common

"Financial abuse is the one we hear about mostly," she explained. "If the senior doesn't give a family member money, then it's the emotional abuse, then threats, and then it could escalate to physical abuse. So, sometimes they're interwoven."

She said seniors can turn to the Resource Centre and they will let them know where to go for help.

"The way that the system works now, is that if you're mentally competent and you put up with the abuse, there's very little that can be done," she expressed.

"That's the hardest part, because when most of the abuse is done by family members, then who wants to tell on their family," she went on to say. "Also, if it's in an institution too, there's always the fear of more abuse. There's the fear of losing your caregiver, no matter what the circumstances."

She said that seniors should know they don't have to put up with abuse or be afraid and encourages people to report it.

Hard to get stats

She added that elder abuse plays a major role in our society, but that it's hard to gets stats because it's often covered up and denied.

However, she believes that more and more people are talking about it, which is a positive step forward.

Careen said in addition to the Resource Centre, seniors can contact the Women's Centre, local Mental Health department, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, or tell a friend.

Karen Oldford, nurse practitioner and Labrador City deputy-mayor, was also on hand at the luncheon to give advice on seniors' health.

"Aging is a part of life and the only thing that we can do to try and live as healthy as possible, have a healthy diet, and activity is probably the best medication I can prescribe," she said.

Oldford recommended that seniors learn to live with their physical limitations and pick up activities that will exercise muscles, restore balance, and increase flexibility like strength training, Tai Chi, Yoga, or simply walking.