Uproot Abuse Campaign Raises Awareness of Elder Abuse Across the Region
The Tri-Municipal Region is raising awareness of elder abuse this June in honour of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Residents are encouraged to join the Uproot Abuse campaign to increase awareness of elder abuse and work together to better support seniors in the region.
Community events led by the Tri-Region Elder Abuse (TREA) Coordinated Community Response will be hosted at local libraries on June 15. Events will be hosted at:
- Stony Plain Public Library (5216 50 Street, Stony Plain), 1-1:45PM
- Spruce Grove Library (35 5 Avenue, Spruce Grove), 11-11:45AM
- Wabamun Public Library (5132 53 Avenue, Wabamun), 9:30-10:15AM
Each event will include a special storytelling session and opportunities to connect with elder abuse resources. Free Uproot Abuse garden stakes and petunias will be available for participants to create their own Uproot Abuse awareness gardens.
“Ensuring seniors are provided with the resources and supports they need to thrive is critical not only for individual health and safety, but also for community well-being,” says Town of Stony Plain Mayor William Choy. “Last year, community members came together to plant 127 Uproot Abuse awareness gardens. The campaign works to honour our elders and demonstrate our community’s commitment to creating safer, more supportive spaces for all.”
“It is so important to connect with the seniors in our community and learn how to recognize the signs of abuse and who to contact if they need help,” says City of Spruce Grove Mayor Jeff Acker. “Looking out for one another like this contributes to a safe and healthy community for everyone.”
“Seniors are the anchor of our community. Current and future generations can prosper with the foundations seniors have laid for us, and the knowledge they continue to share,” says Parkland County Mayor Allan Gamble. “TREA works to secure the safety of seniors in a dignified way while supporting caregivers with education and resources. By addressing Elder Abuse, we can ensure our whole community flourishes together.”
“Elder abuse can be complex due to factors such as an older adult’s health, disability, or the nature of the relationship with the abuser. This abuse can take a variety of forms including financial, emotional, medical, physical, and sexual as well as neglect. In many cases, multiple forms of abuse occur simultaneously,” says TREA Program Coordinator Marlene Gall. “By working together, our municipalities and service providers are able to create a strong network of support for seniors and provide educational resources for community members.”
The Uproot Abuse garden project is a joint initiative with TREA members including the Town of Stony Plain, Parkland County, City of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain Public Library, Parkland County Libraries, Spruce Grove Library, Stony Plain and Wabamun Servus Credit Unions, and WestView Primary Care Network. TREA includes 23 regional stakeholders who work together to address elder abuse through spearheading awareness and education campaigns as well as providing wraparound supports to seniors in the Tri-Municipal Region.