Newfoundland and Labrador Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NLNPEA)

Transcription

1 QA February 2014 Issue 7 Newfoundland and Labrador Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NLNPEA) Financial Abuse of Seniors Contents Financial Abuse... 1 The following is not an unusual story: Carol s* daughter was given power of attorney over her mother s affairs. Financial Abuse Resources 3 Carol was having trouble getting out of her house, and Friendly Visiting Program... 5 it just seemed easier to have her daughter take over NLNPEA NewsEvents... 6 her financial affairs and do her banking. Two years Our Members News later her savings were gone. Several payments on Help Support SRCNL Carol s mortgage were missed, and the bank is looking to repossess her house. Carol s health has declined Where to Go for Help and she has been moved into long-term care. Today she is close to penniless. The daughter, who spent all her mother s money, does not visit her and will likely never be called upon to answer for her actions, as her mother is not willing or able to press charges against her. Carol is a real senior living in Newfoundland and Labrador. She is one of many seniors who have experienced financial andor other kinds of abuse in our province. Consider this: It is estimated that somewhere between 4 and 10 percent of seniors in Canada experience some kind of abuse. If we apply that percentage to our province s senior population, that means there may be 8000 seniors in Newfoundland and Labrador who are experiencing abuse. 2 *Names and identifying characteristics have been changed to protect the privacy of this senior. NL Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NLNPEA) co The Seniors Resource Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador 370 Torbay Road, Suite W100, St. John's, NL A1A 3W8 Phone (709) or (toll-free) eanetwork@seniorsresource.ca Website:

2 Financial abuse... (continued) Page 2 The most reported kind of elder abuse is financial abuse. This includes misuse of a senior s debit or credit cards, forging a signature on pension cheques, removing funds inappropriately from a joint banking account, and abusing a power of attorney. Most of the time, the person doing the financial abuse is a relative or close acquaintance of the senior. However, seniors sometimes also fall victim to frauds and scams. The information line ( ) at the Seniors Resource Centre NL takes calls from seniors (and their families and friends) across our province on a variety of issues. In , 82 of these calls were from seniors who were experiencing abuse or from people who were concerned about a senior being abused. A large percentage of these calls concerned financial abuse often with other kinds of abuse (such as emotional abuse) involved as well. One way to prevent financial abuse is for seniors to educate themselves about their options when giving power of attorney to someone, arranging for a joint banking account, or doing other financial interactions. Fortunately, a large number of excellent resources have been developed to help seniors make informed choices. Several of these are listed on the following page. Please note: If you do not have access to the internet and wish to receive a copy of one of these documents, please call the Seniors Resource Centre at (no long distance fees will apply within NL) and we would be happy to send you a copy. It is financial abuse if somebody tricks, threatens, or persuades older adults out of their money, property, or possessions. Sometimes the abuser might influence or force the abused to change their will, sign a power of attorney, or cash cheques without their knowledge. From It s Not Right: Neighbours, Friends & Families for Older Adults (

3 Brochures, pamphlets, research, and websites about preventing financial abuse Page 3 Note: links to these and other resources are also available through our website at: (See our Resources, Publications, and Research section.) Brochures, pamphlets, guides Seniors and the Law (2011): This guide was developed by the Public Legal Information Association of NL and provides general legal information in plain language about various issues impacting seniors living in NL. Topics include: Wills, Enduring Power of Attorney, and Advance Healthcare Directives. Available in the Planning Ahead section of Changes and Choices: Information for Seniors Living in Newfoundland and Labrador (2013): This guide from the Public Legal Information Association of NL provides general information in plain language about seniors concerns such as housing decisions, planning for when one cannot manage one s own affairs, and consumer protection (including financial abuse, fraud, etc.). Available in the Planning Ahead section of Protecting Against Financial Abuse: A guide for older Albertans, their families and friends: Although developed for Albertan seniors, this guide contains good, practical information that is applicable to all seniors. Available at: Researchacademic reports Background Paper: Financial Abuse of Seniors: An Overview of Key Legal Issues and Concepts prepared by the Canadian Centre for Elder Law for the International Federation on Ageing, March Available for download from: Continued on next page

4 Financial abuse resouces (continued) Page 4 Websites: Seniors.gc.ca: This Government of Canada website includes general information on seniors issues and an entire section on financial abuse ( with sections on: Powers of Attorney and Joint Bank Accounts Financial Planning Income and Benefits from Government Programs Managing and Protecting Assets Planning for Possible Loss of Independence Planning for Future Housing Needs Having a Will and Making Funeral Plans Financial Abuse Frauds and Scams Get Cyber Safe ( This Government of Canada website provides info on how to protect your family, money, and identity from cybercrime. Be a Savvy Senior: Fraud Protection Strategies for Seniors ( This website from the Canadian Centre for Elder Law offers a series of educational tools to help seniors protect themselves against fraud. The tools identify some of the most common scams con artists use these days to target seniors. News articles Ripping off Grandma: Why seniors should practice tough love by Rob Carrick, The Globe and Mail, October 15, 2012 available at:

5 Meet the Friendly Visiting Program Page 5 Submitted by Sharon Brown, Coordinator of the Friendly Visiting Program, SRCNL The Friendly Visiting program is a free service that has been offered by the Seniors Resource Centre NL (SRCNL) since It is available to seniors who live in the St. John s, Torbay, and Mount Pearl areas. The program s aim is to offer company and friendship to seniors in their own homes. Different groups of people can benefit from this: seniors, volunteers, and families. Many of our seniors don t get out as they were accustomed to for reasons such as sight or mobility issues. In turn, they see less and less people and have fewer social connections. Many times what they are left with are feelings of loneliness and isolation. As the program coordinator for Friendly Visiting, I will visit a senior in hisher home, whether heshe lives in their own houseapartment or in a personal care home, to do an assessment and discuss personal preferences. I will then select a prescreened volunteer for himher and come along with the volunteer for the first visit. Hopefully a connection is made between the senior and the volunteer; this volunteer will then continue to visit the senior in hisher home once a week. I then maintain contact with both parties on a regular basis to ensure things are going well with the developing friendship. Friendly Visiting offers seniors: A new and supportive friendship, regular visits andor calls from a volunteer and a link to the other services of the SRCNL. If you are a senior or know of a senior who may enjoy having a Friendly Visitor, please contact me at the Seniors Resource Centre NL: ext Sharon Brown, Coordinator of the Friendly Visiting Program, is also available as a resource for other community organizations that are interested in starting a similar program in their area or region. Aging is not lost youth but a new stage of opportunity and strength. Betty Friedan ( ), Activist, Feminist, and Author of The Fountain of Age

6 NLNPEA News and Events Page 6 We have two events coming up in February Free public session Understanding the New Adult Protection Act Who does this act protect and how? Will it be mandatory to report? This presentation will answer these questions and describe the key components of the Act, which was passed in When the Act is proclaimed, it will provide the legislative authority for the delivery of services to adults in need of protective intervention because they are at risk of abuse and neglect and do not understand or appreciate that risk. This presentation will be of interest to seniors and their family members, service providers, and community workers. When: Where: February 25 from 9:30 to 11:30am (Island time) Kenny s Pond Retirement Residence (Common Area, 6th Floor), 135 MacDonald Drive, St. John s* Guest presenter: Carol Snelgrove, Adult Protection Policy & Training Specialist, Office for Aging & Seniors, Dept of Health & Community Services Plus learn more about the NL Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and other initiatives to end elder abuse. Refreshments will be served. This is a FREE event. All are welcome. For more information call the: Seniors Resource Centre NL at *Can t join us in person? No problem! Our meetings are also accessible by teleconference and webinar. To join the audio portion, dial: and enter conference code To join by webinar to see our presenters slides, register at:

7 NLNPEA News and Events (Continued) Page 7 In recogniittiion of February beiing Viiollence Preventtiion Montth WEBINAR ANNOUNCEMENT: Talking about ELDER ABUSE in the workplace A free webinar for service providers and community workers who support seniors February 27, 2013 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm (island time) To register, go online to: How can I start a conversation with my colleagues about elder abuse? How can we work together to support clients affected by elder abuse? What resources are out there to help us? This webinar will introduce the training document: Strategies for interprofessional health care providers to address elder abuse from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists. This document will be useful to any service provider or community worker that supports seniors even if they do not traditionally deal with issues related to elder abuse. During the webinar, we will review this document, discuss how it can be used in the workplace, and look at decision-making tools and resources available to help service providers support seniors affected by elder abuse. Presenters: Elizabeth Siegel, Provincial Coordinator for the NL Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and Theresa Roberts-Morrissey, Occupational Therapist. For more information go to:

8 Page 8 NLNPEA News and Events (Continued) CONFERENCE ANNOUNCEMENT: SAVE THE DATE: October 20-21, 2014 Awareness to Action: Training to Recognize, Report and Respond to Elder Abuse The Newfoundland and Labrador Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse will host this conference at the Holiday Inn in St. John s, NL on October 20-21, This will be an opportunity for network members and others from all regions of the province to receive training, share resources, and connect with each other to recognize, report and respond to elder abuse. We will highlight progress made by network members and partners and seek ideas on strategies for coming years. We are moving from AWARENESS TO ACTION! Come and share your knowledge and ideas to respond to and prevent elder abuse in our province. BE SURE TO MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR MONDAY AND TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20-21, More information will be available soon through mail and for Network members andor by visiting Welcome network memberspartners, seniors, students, service providers, researchers, bankingfinancial representatives, community and government representatives and interested members of the public NLNPEA is an integral part of the Seniors Resource Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador s efforts to address elder abuse in our province. This conference is made possible through funding from New Horizons for Seniors, Government of Canada.

9 NLNPEA News and Events (Continued) Page 9 Now Available Looking Beyond the Hurt: A Service Provider s Guide to Elder Abuse (Revised edition) is now available. This desktop reference tool will help service providers to identify and support victims of elder abuse. Recognizing a professional s busy workload, Looking Beyond the Hurt provides a concise overview of the indicators of elder abuse, relevant legislation, and regional resources for seniors. This Guide is the first of its kind in Newfoundland and Labrador and has the support of the RCMP, the RNC, and 13 professional health organizations and schools. To download a free pdf version of the Guide, go to Hard copies of this guide are available for $10 (plus shipping) from the Seniors Resource Centre NL. To order a copy, eanetwork@seniorsresource.ca or call Our Members News If you or a senior is in immediate danger, dial 911, where the service is available or dial O for the operator and you will be connected to emergency response. If you are calling a local RCMP detachment office, the following press release from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police explains how your call will be handled. RCMP Operational Communications Centre now using a new phone system The RCMP is improving its phone system to ensure emergency and high-priority calls are answered first by the RCMP Operational Communications Centre (OCC). This new phone system is now being used successfully in Deer Lake, Grand Falls- Windsor, Stephenville, Harbour Grace, Marystown, Gander, and Happy Valley- Goose Bay. Continued on next page

10 7 Our Members News and Events Page 10 RCMP new phone system (Continued) This new system is designed to improve efficiency in the way calls are taken and to ensure emergency and high-priority calls are answered first. It separates operational calls that will now go directly to the OCC from administrative calls that will go to the Detachment as outlined below. When the public calls the local Detachment number an automated system will prompt the caller with 3 choices: Press 1 for emergencies. The call will automatically ring on a priority line in the OCC. These calls will be answered first and police officers will be dispatched. Press 2 to report an incident that requires police response but is not an emergency. These operational calls will be dispatched by the OCC on a priority basis. Press 3 for all general inquiries. These administrative calls will ring into the Detachment and be answered by a local Detachment employee. If the call is not answered, the caller will be presented with an option to leave a voice message and their calls will be dealt with. *** If for some reason you are unable to select the appropriate number, your call will automatically default to the Emergency Line. *** This service will be offered in both official languages. The RCMP will maintain the ability to override the system during any emergency operation. The RCMP s OCC telephone stats are approximately 316,000 calls per year. This system will help our operators quickly assess emergency and high-priority situations while administrative calls will be dealt with at the Detachment level. February is Violence Prevention Month For more information see:

11 Page 11 Help support the Seniors Resource Centre NL NLNPEA is an integral part of the Seniors Resource Centre of Newfoundland and Labrador s efforts to address elder abuse in our province.

12 7 Places to go for help for those experiencing elder abuse Health Authority Contacts for Elder Abuse: o Eastern Health (Rural Avalon) (St. John's) (BonavistaClarenvilleBurin Peninsula) o Central Health o Western Health ext 226 o Labrador-Grenfell Health Page 12 Who Can You Call If You Are In Immediate Danger? Dial 911 where the service is available or dial 0 for the operator and you will be connected to emergency response. o For your nearest RCMP detachment: , TTY o Or for the RNC: St. John s: , TTY Corner Brook: , TTY Labrador City: Churchill Falls: Who can you call when in a crisis or feeling distressed? o Seniors Resource Centre NL s Seniors Information Line: This line is answered by seniors with training to help you find the supports you need. (M-F, 8:30am to 4:30pm) o Mental Health Crisis Line (24 hoursday) o Sexual Assault Crisis Line (24 hoursday) Want more information on NLNPEA? See our website at us at eanetwork@seniorsresource.ca; or call the Seniors Resource Centre NL at NLNPEA would like to thank the Rotary Club of St. John s Northwest and New Horizons for Seniors, Government of Canada for helping to make this newsletter possible.