NOVEMBER 3, 1987

$B |

 

Mad Hatter

A Douglas College Newslette

 

 

ABUSE & NEGLECT OF THE ELDERLY
A Douglas College Conference

[ is a social problem so disturb-
ing that most Canadians would
rather deny it exists. Who could
even think of beating a frail 85
year-old lady? Who would steal
from an old man trying to get by
on a meager pension?

But as 1987 draws to a close, it
is likely that nearly 100,000 elder-
ly Canadians have suffered
serious abuse at the hands of
family, friends and acquaintances
this year.

This figure comes from a Toron-
to Mayor’s Committee on Aging
brochure, and although statistical
research on the extent of elder
abuse in Canada is incomplete,
local reports indicate that the

lem is much worse than

most people imagined.

Linda Tod is a Burnaby resident
whose job as a psycho-geriatric
social worker in Langley puts her
in daily contact with the elderly.

Two years ago, in an effort to
fight mistreatment of the elderly,
Tod and other professionals who
work with the aged formed a task
force on elder abuse in co-opera-
tion with the B.C. Social Planning
and Research Centre (SPARC). To
meet the ing concern Over
this problem, SPARC and
Douglas College have organized
a conference oi Abuse a

ee ect of the Elderly to be held
at Douglas College in New
Westminster. Todd says the con-
ference is aimed at professionals
working in health, mental health
and social services.

"We now know how to recog-

nize child abuse, but we're years
behind in knowing what to look

for and what questions to ask
when it comes to abuse of the
elderly."

She says that the nature of elder
abuse makes it very difficult to
combat: most abuse happens be-
hind the closed doors of private
homes and institutions. The
elderly are often unable to com-
plain or ask for help.

"I don’t see much physical
abuse in the community," Tod
says, "it’s well hidden. But I hear
of, and often have to deal with
cases of financial abuse.”

Susan Tomita will be the fea-
tured speaker at the conference.
She is co-author of Elder Abuse
and Neglect, currently the most
comprehensive book avaiable on
this topic. Tomita has travelled
throughout the U.S.A. giving lec-
tures and workshops on elder
abuse. She is well known for
developing a set of procedures

 

many American medical and so-
cial work professionals now use
to detect, assess, and treat abuse
of the elderly.

Linda Tod says, "the conference
will cover a number of pressing is-
sues, some of which are quite
contentious. On the last day of
the conference participants will
be drafting recommendations
aimed at fighting elder abuse. We
will present the recommenda-
tions to the B.C. Ministry of
Health in the hope that they will
be used to improve the way elder
abuse is dealt with in this
province."

Tod says the questions the con-
ference will grapple with include:
-Should B.C. have mandatory
reporting laws to facilitate help
for the abused elderly or are these
laws too intrusive, allowing viola-
tions of privacy?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

 

 

IN THE HAT

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