By Lara Fominoff @fomsy1 on Twitter

Lethbridge and Claresholm community elder abuse awareness organizations receive money from Provincial Government

Jun 16, 2017 | 9:50 AM

LETHBRIDGE – 31 community organizations, including those in Lethbridge and Claresholm,  are getting a share of 1.5 million dollars in Provincial Government funding from the Taking Action Against Elder Abuse Community Response Program.
 
The Lethbridge Elder Abuse Response Network (L.E.A.R.N.) will receieve $50,000, while the Calgary Rural Primary Care Network that serves the Claresholm Region gets $60,000. 
 
The announcements come as “World Elder Abuse Day” (June 15) is recognized to raise awareness of elder abuse as a health and human rights issue.
 
In Lethbridge, the Elder Abuse Response Network also held its own walk and barbeque near the Civic Centre, along with Lethbridge Police, highlighting social isolation as a significant factor in elder abuse.
 
Spokperson Marlene Van Eden says it goes on more often than people may think, and working with Lethbridge Police, they’re encouraging anyone who thinks someone elderly may be abused to taken advantage of to contact them.
 
“The biggest one (issue) we get is financial. And whether it’s financial from the grandkids, the kids, a special friend. You know, a person is lonely and they’ve connected with somebody a bit younger, or similar age and cognitively declining…. and slowly being taken advantage of. That’s a common thing.”
 
Cst. Kara Hagen with the Lethbridge Police Service also works with L.E.A.R.N. as their community liason to determine whether complaints or concerns should be investigated.
 
“We are always investigating elder abuse files. Sometimes they peak during certain times of the year….what I have found just recently is Christmas we had a huge peak, but within the last 6 months, Christmas was our peak in elder abuse files.”
 
Hagen says their investigations range from physical to financial, sexual and even neglect.
 
She says many people don’t understand that elder abuse is as prominent as it is, and they want those who are concerned, to talk to Police.
 
“Too many times we have people like neighbours who suspects elder abuse and they don’t call it in. L.E.A.R.N. has an anonymous tip line and at least then we can initiate an investigation if need be. At least you know that police and the L.E.A.R.N. network are looking into it.”
 
That anonymous tip line telephone number is 403-394-0306.