Do you know the signs of elder abuse, or indicators of older adults at-risk? There’s a lot of information circulating about elder abuse. Abuse may be physical, e.g. hitting; psychological e.g. humiliation, constant criticism; financial, to include misuse of a person’s funds; sexual; or neglect, where necessary food or heat is not provided.
An additional concern arises when a person harms themself through self-neglect, and may suffer from lack of basic nutrition or cleanliness.
Would you know how to help someone if you observed these needs?
We don’t always have the answers to these questions.
Knowing that many would like to make a difference, the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington and local partners, with funding from the Government of Ontario, are hosting free, two-hour training sessions for community members and service providers in Guelph and Wellington County.
Called the Gatekeeper Project, it is based on the principle that care of a vulnerable citizen is everyone’s responsibility.
It aims to educate community members to be able to identify vulnerable and at-risk older adults, and to gain awareness about how to make a referral via HERE 24/7.
Many of us have stories of the care we have given to those in later life, and the stress this can put on families.
In 2016, I celebrated the life and death of my maternal grandmother. She was loved by many for her compassion, positive attitude and welcoming personality. For years, I witnessed first-hand the impact of Alzheimer’s disease on my grandmother’s health, and associated risk of caregiver burnout for my mother.
In times where we are witness to the pain of elder abuse, or potential risk to vulnerable older adults, we want to help but don’t always know where to turn.
We welcome you to learn more about how you can identify elder abuse, and also the socially isolated, under serviced vulnerable older adult, and connect them to services they may need.
Gatekeeper Project workshops are being held between October 2017 and March 2018. For more information, visit www.gwgatekeeperproject.ca.
To register, contact project facilitator, Manon Germain, at 226-820-0835, or email mgermain@cmhaww.ca.
Submitted by Manon Germain, project facilitator for the Gatekeeper Project.
The “Open Mind” column is sponsored by community partners who are committed to raising awareness about mental health, reducing stigma and providing information about resources that can help. Contact aheeley@cmahww.ca. For local mental health resources/information, visit www.mdsgg.ca or call 1-844-HERE247.
