BOYLE – The Village of Boyle joined communities around the world to recognize the growing trend of elder abuse on June 15, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).
Alongside local municipalities like the towns of Westlock and Barrhead, the village will be issuing a proclamation for the day following a request from Michelle Melnyk, an elder abuse navigator with Health Families, Healthy Futures in Westlock.
“Our seniors are such an integral part of our community and our families, and anything we can do to raise awareness and help them with issues they might be facing is something I look forward to,” said Coun. Shelby Kiteley.
Village councillors voted 4-0 in favour of the proclamation — Mayor Colin Derko was absent — which acknowledges the hidden nature most elder abuse cases have and recognizes it as an ongoing issue.
Councillors expressed their shock at some statistics provided by Melnyk, using data from the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness Council, that showed one out of 10 seniors reported experiencing abuse, predominantly emotionally or financially.
“That’s just those who realize it and will ask for help when they experience the abuse, so I imagine that number is higher,” said Kiteley.
“As times get tougher and the population ages, it’s going to become more prevalent, so it’s definitely something I would want to raise awareness of in the future as well.”
Melnyk’s data reported 42 per cent of respondents lived in a rural setting, and the majority owned their own homes. Physical health, social isolation, and prior experiences with abuse were the three most reported vulnerabilities, and 46 per cent of cases listed transportation as an issue. Sixty-one per cent of abusers were men, compared to 28 per cent of the victims, and 40 per cent of cases were self-reported, a nearly 20 per cent increase.
Kiteley said it isn’t uncommon for the village to be asked to issue a proclamation, but the councillors make sure to examine the issue and if it matters to the community.
“It’s not a common occurrence, but we do look at each of them on an individual basis, and of course our seniors are important to us, so that was a no-brainer,” she said.
