Bullying has no age limit
DIra-estrie and Lennoxville and District Community Aid have teamed up to present ‘I Stand Up for Myself’, an activity to raise awareness concerning bullying among seniors.
Happening June 14 at the Amedéebeaudoin community center, the presentation was well-timed to coincide with world Elder Abuse Awareness day.
Leigh Hortop, a social worker with Community Aid, said that the group jumped on the opportunity to offer local elders this kind of resource.
“We were very excited to offer our clients access to English resources, since they can be hard to come by around here,” said Hortop. “We often hear about how bullying affects younger people, kids and teenagers mostly, but really, it can affect any age group. You also often hear about financial abuse, but we wanted to broaden that discussion.”
According to Hortop, the event is necessary not only because it is an issue that affects many elderly citizens, but because it is a common problem but is still considered taboo to talk about.
“We have this idea that bullying is only for kids, and because of that, we don’t have a name for the problem,” continued Hortop. “Without knowing how to identify the issue, how can you report it? The more we talk about it, the more people will feel comfortable to share their experience and reach out.”
‘I Stand Up for Myself’ will not only open up dialogue surrounding adult bullying but will also provide tips on identifying different forms of abuse and tools to deal with them.
“We know it’s a problem but when we see or hear anything, we are unequipped. We don’t know what to do or say,” added Hortop. “Now we will know how to identify and react to abuse.”
Lennoxville and District Community Aid offers many services besides the I Stand Up for Myself! conference. They serve seniors over the age of 65, providing meals on wheels, foot care, transport and escort services, psychosocial aid, support groups and much more.
The I Stand Up for Myself! event will take place from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. and will include refreshments and an opportunity to chat with the guest speaker after the presentation. It is free for all to attend.