World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Today
Saturday, June 15, 2013 @ 3:50 AM
Prince George, B.C.- Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
It is estimated between 4 and 10 % of seniors will be the victim of some form of abuse whether it be physical, emotional, financial or sexual. It is also believed that 80% of incidents of elder abuse are undetected.
According to information from the Prince George Council of Seniors, the incidence of elder abuse is likely to grow. The PGCS says that by 2025, the global population of those over the age of 60 will double and by 2036, the number of adults aged 65 and over in B.C. will increase from 14.7% to 24% in Prince George, under-reported.
“Older adults in our communities continue to find themselves in vulnerable situations and still experiencing various forms of abuse and neglect,” said Sherry Baker, executive director of the BC Association of Community Response Networks (CRNs).
The Prince George Council of Seniors says abuse and neglect can happen to men and women regardless of their socio-economic status. The PG Council of Seniors also says many victims may be ashamed to talk about the issue especially if a family member is the perpetrator.
You can learn more by visiting the Prince George Council of Seniors booth at the Pine Centre Mall today.
Comments
So, currently we have about 6 people below the age of 65 for every senior. By 2036 the projection is for about 3 people below the age of 65 for every senior.
With proper education of those who take care of seniors, including family members and those paid to take care of seniors, I do not understand why anyone would say that abuse is likely to grow. Perhaps in raw numbers, but I would think that the rate of elder abuse compared to the number of elders is just as likely, and perhaps even more likely, to drop.
Just looking at the numbers of elders to younger people, perhaps being around elders more will cause the reverse to happen; a better understanding and more compassion for the more extreme cases of some seniors needing 24/7/365 care.
Our govt abuses our elders, is anything being done about it?
Good editorial by Michael Campbell on his Money Talks radio show on CKNW radio this morning. The following quote is taken from this editorial:
“How big would our combined provincial and federal deficits and debts have to get, the one’s that we’re passing on to our children, before we feel like it’s a problem?
How big would the unfunded liabilities that we’re sticking our children with so that aging population, the aging boomers can have a level of health care and pensions that those same children who are paying the bills aren’t going to get? How big would that have to be before we consider it a problem?”
If you want to hear this quote, click on the following link, and when the page pops up, on the section which says “Select a date and time to listen”, the date of the show is June 15, and the time is 8:00 AM. Click on “listen”. After the program loads (only a few seconds) use your mouse to move ahead to the 35 minute and 30 second part of the broadcast. If you have time listen to the show for another couple of minutes after the above quote plays. You do not have to register on the site, it is click and play.
http://www.cknw.com/news/audiovault/index.aspx
“How big would our combined provincial and federal deficits and debts have to get, the one’s that we’re passing on to our children, before we feel like it’s a problem?”
An interesting notion.
Has anyone ever wondered how big the total accumulated debt got for all the countries that were involved with WW2 which had various debts they created as they went to build war machines, build armies who did nothing productive other than destroy people and things and destroyed human built structures as well as natural assets.
Has anyone ever wondered when that was passed on to the surviving people and newly born children over time, how we managed to get to where we are now. The post war years moving into the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s were some of the most affluent years of the 20th century in the western world.
So, other than the death of multi-millions of people it seems we left our children with the ability to rebuild.
It is amazing what humans can do if they have to.
Just waiting for a get together called “Taxpayer Abuse Day”. Maybe when the Pope gets married.
Comments for this article are closed.