Proactive measures easiest way to protect seniors from theft, abuse: expert
Seniors concerned about being robbed or abused always have resources available to them through a number of different organizations, experts say.
Last week, Winnipeg police arrested a worker from Assiniboine Links, an assisted-living facility in Winnipeg's Charleswood area. Seniors at the centre complained to police about valuables going missing from their rooms and an employee is now facing charges.
"Seniors should be able to have anything they want in their home but the reality is, that's not the case," said Michelle Ranville, the manager of community services for Manitoba's Age and Opportunity, an organization that offers support services for older adults.
Realistic crime prevention
Age and Opportunity offers home visits and advises seniors on how they can best secure their belongings in their homes. Calls and complaints reporting theft are commonplace, Ranville said.
Typically, that involves keeping belongings in safety deposit boxes or safes, she said. They also tell seniors to avoid keeping large amounts of cash on hand.
In the case at Assiniboine Links, one of the residents installed a security camera to provide proof of the thefts to police. Ranville said that's something they have also advised people to do in the past. The bottom line is that police need some form of proof, she said.
"Everybody gets forgetful time to time. I get forgetful. Does that mean you're not going to believe me if I tell you something is stolen from me? I think that's what makes older adults a target, people think, 'oh well, you can just blame it on memory.' And that's not typically the case. We just say, get some proof and lets go forward from there," Ranville said.
Asking for help
When seniors need further assistance, there is a 24-hour helpline available for seniors to call.
"The helpline is there to listen, to find out, 'Why do you feel this way? What experiences have you been having? How confident are you of the circumstances? [Has] anybody else experienced similar events?" said Laurie Unrau, the executive director of the Seniors and Health Aging Secretariat.
Unrau said seniors are at times exploited physically, emotionally and financially by the people appointed to look after them.
The helpline is designed to guide them and their families through these types of concerns and provide them with a list of ways to move forward.
Seniors who believe they are being taken advantage of in anyway can call the province's Senior's Abuse Support Line at 1-888-896-7183.
