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Elder Abuse Links and Resources
It is very important for anyone working in the addictions area to have a good sense what the resources are in the community to help older adults experiencing abuse. Here are a few starting points:
Canada
B.C. Coalition to Eliminate Abuse of Seniors
Description: Carries basic information on abuse in later life. Identifies BCCEAS projects. Includes recent editions of BCCEAS's newsletter "A Shared Concern". See: www.bcceas.ca
Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.
Description: Provides information and links to resources, focussing largely on Canadian content. www.cnpea.ca
Older Adult Knowledge Network
Description: An Alberta project that deals with the law and the abuse of older adults www.oak-net.org
Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse.
Description: Non-profit, charitable organization dedicated to the prevention of elder abuse and neglect. Focus on education and training, advocacy for policy development. www.onpea.org/
B.C. Institute Against Family Violence.
Description: Non profit organization, focussing on research and publications related violence throughout the lifespan. www.bcifv.org/
BC Yukon Society of Transition Houses
Description: Older Womens' Abuse Project
"The Silent and Invisible Report examines violence and abuse in the lives of women of fifty and older in B.C. This work was intended to draw knowledge from the experiences of abused women that can lead to improvements in service delivery, public and professional understanding, and recognition of the health costs and future suffering implied in allowing present attitudes and practices to continue." Project has also developed:
United States
Elder Abuse Prevention
www.elderabuseprevention-eastbay.org/
National Centre on Elder Abuse
Shelter Net: On August 13, 2002, a new Canadian Internet site, www.shelternet.ca was launched. Shelternet is a national website that directs abused women to the closest safe haven in their area. The site features a map of Canada on which a woman can click to find a place of refuge. The Internet site is an initiative of the federal, provincial and municipal governments. More than half of the site's funding has come from private enterprises.
Clickable buttons include "Find a Shelter", "Women Technology and Shelternet", "Women's Stories", "Make a Safety Plan", "Just for Kids". There's also a clickable map of Canada with links to shelters.
Being able to search the Internet is a risky business for people in an abusive home, because the partner may be checking out the person's activities on the 'Net and elsewhere. One of the interesting features on the site is how to do that searching safely.
Please note: Women's shelters traditionally give priority to women with children. That means that single women including older women may have more difficulty being able to access the available shelter space. Also, often shelters are not physically suited to older women's needs. Several communities have been working to improve this situation.
Also see:
Abuse of Older Adults: A Report of Priorities in Prince Edward Island (2001) www.upei.ca/~csha/research/abuse/abuse.html
Page last updated Saturday April 30, 2005
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