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The June Edition | June 15, 2017

1. Message from the President
2. About World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
3. Recipe of the Month: Carrot & Edamame Salad
4. Video: About Elder Abuse
5. Recognize the Signs of Elder Abuse
6. Prevent Elder Abuse
7. Joke of the Month

About World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) was developed & launched on June 15, 2006 by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA). Since then the event is held on June 15 annually. 

WEAAD involves activities to bring greater recognition of mistreatment of older adults wherever they live throughout the world, and to highlight the need for appropriate action. It is intended to give abuse and neglect of older adults a global relevance that will sustain and move prevention efforts forward throughout the year and for years to come.

What do we mean by abuse of older adults?

Abuse of older adults refers to actions that harm an older person or puts at risk the person's health or welfare. Abuse of older adults is also known as senior abuse or elder abuse. According to the World Health Organization, abuse and neglect of older adults can be a single or a repeated act. It can occur in any relationship where there is an expectation of trust or where a person is in a position of power or authority.

Abuse is a violation of human rights

Violations of rights means ignoring older adults' entitlement to basic rights and freedoms that other adults often take for granted. Violation of rights may include restricting visitors, or restricting the person's liberty, freedom, rights to privacy, and access to information or available community supports. Violation of rights can also include making decisions about the older adult's health, personal care, or finances without the person's consent (or where the person is not capable, the consent of his or her preferred or legally legitimate representative).

Types of abuse

Abuse can be physical, emotional and verbal, or even sexual. It often involves financial misconduct, with or without neglect. Older adults often experience more than one form of abuse and neglect. For example, they may be emotionally and financially abused, or emotionally and physically abused. Some older adults may be neglected and have their rights violated.

From the Prevent Elder Abuse Manitoba website.

Click here to learn more about Prevent Elder Abuse Manitoba

Recipe of the Month: Carrot & Edamame Salad

You know you should be eating more salads because they're good for you -- but you want something a little different to make your plate that much more exciting!

Enter this delightful Carrot and Edamame Salad. Combining two flavorful vegetables with an Asian-style dressing, you'll want to enjoy this salad every day of the week.

Video: About Elder Abuse

Together, we can prevent the abuse of older Manitobans! 

This important video provides a comprehensive overview about elder abuse and how World Elder Abuse Awareness Day came into fruition.

Click here to watch the video now

Recognize the Signs of Elder Abuse

Sometimes signs of elder abuse are mistaken as a part of growing older or may look like other health conditions. For example, mental confusion, depression or anxiety resulting from abuse or neglect may look like dementia. People may not realize that sometimes older adults are experiencing frequent falls or have long-term pain because they are being abused or neglected.

The existence of any one or more of these indicators does not necessarily mean that abuse has occurred. Instead, treat them as signs that diligent attention or investigation is needed.

Behavioural Warning Signs:

The older adult may display one or more of the following behavioural characteristics:

• Withdrawn
• Confused or extremely forgetful
• Depressed
• Helpless or angry
• Hesitant to talk freely
• Frightened
• Secretive

Isolation Warning Signs: 

• The older adult is isolated or lonely with no visitors or relatives. Family members or caregiver isolate the individual, restricting the person's contact with others.
• The older adult is not given the opportunity to speak freely or have contact with others without the caregiver being present.

Other Warning Signs: 

• Unusual bank account activity, such as withdrawals from automatic teller machines when the individual cannot get to the bank.
• Signatures on cheques and other documents that do not resemble the older adult's signature.
• Checks or other documents signed when the person cannot write or understand what he or she is signing.
• Lack of personal amenities, appropriate clothing and grooming items.
• Numerous unpaid bills when someone else has been designated to pay the bills.
• Change in spending patterns, such as buying items he or she doesn't need and can't use.
• The appearance of a stranger who begins a new close relationship and offers to manage the elder's finances and assets

From Prevent Elder Abuse Manitoba

Prevent Elder Abuse

Joke of the Month

Retirement is the best thing that has happened to my brother-in-law.

"I never know what day of the week it is," he gloated. "All I know is, the day the big paper comes, I have to dress up and go to church!"

From Reader's Digest

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