Elders Financial Abuse Awareness Dialogue Project

The Finding Home Initiative and the Association of Neighbourhood Houses of British Columbia have partnered on the Elders Financial Abuse Awareness Dialogue Project funded by Human Resources and Skill Development Canada New Horizon’s For Seniors Program.

United Way of the Lower Mainland has funded a variety of programs that Finding Home has been involved with and become so successful through.  United Way of the Lower Mainland was the very first funder for what is now a nationally-recognized program.

On June 23, the Elders Financial Abuse Awareness Dialogue Project was officially launched at Heritage Hall in Vancouver. The project is a new approach to raising awareness about elder abuse.

It is estimated that one in 12 seniors in BC experience some form of financial abuse. Five per cent of older British Columbians living at home experience one or more forms of abuse at the hands of family members. In the Lower Mainland, 39.7% of the population is foreign born and 28% are living with their children.

“There is a great need to reach out to ethno-cultural communities to raise awareness about elder abuse,” said Jessie Sutherland, founder of the Finding Home Initiative.

On Wednesday members of the community and partner agencies gathered at Heritage Hall in Vancouver to celebrate the launch of this regional project. The project involves training and dialogues with Afghan, Punjabi, Iranian and other multicultural seniors in the North Shore, Burnaby and Vancouver.

Seniors from diverse cultural backgrounds will share the dynamics of financial abuse in their communities and suggest culturally appropriate ways to raise awareness around the topic.  “Like story of the wolf in sheep’s clothing, every culture has stories about how to spot predators or con artists,” says Sutherland. At the project launch, seniors will tell fables from Afghan, Punjabi and Chinese cultures.

See photos from the event here.

Learn more about the project here.