Harwinder Sandhu, Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors’ Services and Long-Term Care, has issued the following statement in recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, 2023:
“World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, in support of the United Nations’ Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, recognizes the significance of elder abuse as a social issue and calls on individuals, community organizations and public officials to work together and share information on how to recognize signs of and how to prevent abuse or neglect of older people.
“Seniors are as diverse a population as the rest of society, with the same individual rights to dignity, respect, autonomy and choice throughout their lives. The Government of British Columbia is committed to ensuring that seniors are valued within safe communities while recognizing their contributions to a vibrant province.
“People across British Columbia share a duty to protect seniors. In emergency situations, please call 911. Otherwise, I encourage you to call the Seniors Abuse and Information Line (SAIL) to talk to a trained intake worker about abuse or mistreatment at 1 866 437-1940.
“The BC Association of Community Response Networks (BCCRN) and community organizations engage communities throughout the province in June for Elder Abuse Awareness Month and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to contribute to the local, national and international conversations around elder abuse prevention and help spread awareness about the actions we can take to protect the rights of older people.
“Since 2017, we have provided $10.4 million in provincial funding to the BCCRN to support the Council to Reduce Elder Abuse with important projects like promoting a positive aging image. In addition, we have led World Elder Abuse Awareness Day events, raised public awareness of senior abuse and hosted informational workshops throughout the province.
“Please join us in raising awareness of this important day with the colour purple. It can include wearing your favourite purple shirt to passing out irises, the official flower, to finding creative ways to spread awareness on social media. In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, purple lights will shine on B.C.’s Parliament Buildings and other buildings across the province.
“Today and every day, senior abuse is unacceptable. It threatens the quality of life that our family, friends and neighbours deserve. Together, let’s raise awareness of this issue and take action to safeguard their quality of life by preventing abuse, and let’s make seniors’ safety our priority.”
