Close X
Thursday, October 31, 2024
ADVT 
National

Elder abuse reports prompt study by B.C. advocate

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 08 Dec, 2020 09:30 PM
  • Elder abuse reports prompt study by B.C. advocate

B.C.'s seniors advocate says calls related to the abuse of elders have jumped, prompting a more thorough review of the problem.

In her annual report monitoring seniors services, Isobel Mackenzie found calls to the seniors abuse and information line increased by 17 per cent between 2018 and 2019.

The report says there were 5,558 calls to the seniors line, and 28 per cent of them were related to abuse.

However, the report says the advocate's office has identified a lack of effective tools for measuring the abuse and neglect of seniors, which caused the followup review with a report expected next year.

The report covers everything from health care to transportation based on data from 2019-20.

Mackenzie says there's a lack of awareness about what classifies as elder abuse, adding that people don't know where to report abuse and there's no way to track it.

The report released Tuesday says there were 1,672 victims in the category of violent offences against seniors reported to the RCMP, while more than 19,000 seniors complained of property offences, such as theft or vandalism.

There are indications most abuse of seniors is financial, with about half of it stemming from family members, based on surveys the office has done and data it has collected, Mackenzie said.

Mackenzie said the 17 per cent increase relates to a very small number of calls. With one million seniors in the province, those figures don't give a true measure of abuse, she told an online news conference.

"Yes, the increase is concerning, but what's even more concerning is we're clearly missing a whole bunch that's out there."

Her report says emotional abuse was the most common type of harm reported to the seniors abuse and information line last year, at 32 per cent. That was followed by financial abuse at 29 per cent and physical abuse at 10 per cent.

Mackenzie said there also aren't enough people in the province who know about the abuse and information line.

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C., Ottawa provide $1 billion for transit

B.C., Ottawa provide $1 billion for transit
Many details of the plan that will see TransLink get $644 million, the ferry service $308 million and B.C. Transit $86 million were released over the summer.

B.C., Ottawa provide $1 billion for transit

Canada passes 400,000 COVID-19 cases

Canada passes 400,000 COVID-19 cases
The speed at which Canada reached the 400,000 mark is the latest sign of the accelerating pace of the pandemic across the country.

Canada passes 400,000 COVID-19 cases

PM warns of dangers of 'unchecked' AI

PM warns of dangers of 'unchecked' AI
The virtual summit marks the latest step in the slow march toward international co-operation on digital governance amid growing concerns over data privacy, built-in bias and deployment in war.

PM warns of dangers of 'unchecked' AI

Trudeau steers clear of Meng plea-deal reports

Trudeau steers clear of Meng plea-deal reports
Trudeau refused, like U.S. officials, to acknowledge a Wall Street Journal report that Justice Department lawyers have approached Meng's legal team about the possibility of a so-called deferred prosecution agreement.

Trudeau steers clear of Meng plea-deal reports

Survey finds pandemic health inequity in B.C.

Survey finds pandemic health inequity in B.C.
Dr. Reka Gustafson says emergencies tend to worsen social disparities that affect health and access to health care, which is confirmed by the data released today from a survey of nearly 400,000 people.

Survey finds pandemic health inequity in B.C.

Pace of job gains slows to 62,000 in November

Pace of job gains slows to 62,000 in November
The gains were mostly focused in full-time work with a gain of 99,000 jobs, offset somewhat by a decline in part-time work of 37,000 positions, Statistics Canada reported Friday.

Pace of job gains slows to 62,000 in November