Spotting signs of elder abuse, a growing problem in B.C.

Notaries public launch campaign; thousands fall victim each year

With elder abuse on the rise in B.C., notaries public hope to make people aware of the signs to watch for to combat it.

“I see it more often than I used to,” said Sidney-based notary Laurie Salvador.

“It’s going on for sure. We hear frequently of people who have given power of attorney to their kids and others, and find out the kids or caregivers have been dipping into their resources and taking some if not all of it without asking or telling.”

According to B.C.’s Council to Reduce Elder Abuse, each year thousands of older citizens experience abuse — financial, emotional or physical — at the hands of strangers, acquaintances and family members.

“We see it regularly, the banks see it regularly and a number of groups have come together to try and come up with strategies to reduce and minimize this kind of thing,” Salvador said.

With World Elder Abuse Awareness Day coming up on Wednesday, the province’s notaries have released a list of signs that workers in banks, lawyers’ offices and the like should look for to help an elderly person who might be the subject of abuse.

The list includes watching for signs of physical abuse such as bruising or cuts, watching for signs of emotional manipulation such as people being isolated and being forced to rely on one caregiver, and, in the case of financial abuse, seeing loans not paid back or unauthorized withdrawals from an older person’s account.

Salvador said several agencies can help in such situations, including the police, the Community Response Network, the Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL), the Public Guardian and Trustee — which takes reports of abuse, neglect and self-neglect — and Home and Community Care Victoria.

“It’s important that professionals on the front lines, like bank and credit union staff, first responders, and healthcare providers, be aware of the signs of abuse in order to intervene appropriately,” said Tammy Morin Nakashima, president of the Society of Notaries Public of B.C.

“While many people may assume that most abusers are strangers, in actual fact it could be a family member pressuring a grandparent, parent or other elderly family member for money.”

Salvador said in many cases the person being abused is often reluctant to come forward and say anything.

“If the caregiver is good to them it may be their lifeline, and they may feel if they blow the whistle on them they won’t be taken care of and they will have to go to a home,” she said.