Provincial grant to increase elder-abuse prevention programs

A provincial grant to prevent and address elder abuse will allow Edmonton to tailor its services to Chinese and South Asian seniors, who face additional barriers when trying to access help.

The province announced the $1.5-million grant at Edmonton’s ASSIST Community Services Centre on Thursday. The grant is divided among 31 community organizations and municipalities throughout the province.

Edmonton’s Seniors Protection Partnership — a collaboration between the city, police, Catholic Social Services, Covenant Health and SAGE Seniors Association — will receive $30,000 to expand its services and the organizations it works with.

One of those organizations is ASSIST, which serves Chinese seniors at its downtown location.

“Seniors in the Chinese community face additional barriers when accessing support, whether it’s language, culture or stigma,” said Seniors and Housing Minister Lori Sigurdson. “The grant will ensure the community co-ordinated response models can be tailored to the Chinese community.”

ASSIST already organizes talks once or twice a year to educate seniors on what counts as abuse.

“Some don’t know it’s abuse. They may have a child asking for money over and over. They don’t realize they’re being abused,” said ASSIST volunteer Aaron Chiu.

Once seniors realize they are being abused, cultural differences can further prevent them from seeking help.

“What happens in the family stays in the family,” said Chiu. “Parents sacrifice everything for their children. How can a loving mother report her son and get him in trouble?”

The grant will also help Edmonton’s South Asian seniors through the Multicultural Women and Seniors Services Association.

Programs tailored to other cultural communities may be a possibility in the future, Sigurdson said.

The City of Edmonton proclaimed June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Signs of elder abuse include changes in behaviour, mood and spending habits.