ELDER LAW
Combatting elder abuse begins with taking a stance against ageism. The World Health Organization defines ageism as “stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination towards others or oneself based on age”. Ageism is a factor in elder abuse. It manifests in individual cases and systemically through policies. The Covid-19 Pandemic has amplified the negative effect of ageism on our society. It has helped to shed a light on the problematic policies that carry an underlying ageist attitude. The World Health Organization published its Global Report on Ageism on March 18, 2021.
The report calls for “urgent action to combat ageism and better measurement and reporting to expose ageism”. The Report offers three evidence based strategies to combat ageism and recommendations for action. The WHO is launching a global campaign to combat ageism and offering a toolkit to better equip those interested in joining the campaign. This toolkit is helpful to assist with initiating conversations within our community around ageism. On March 30, 2021 an international dialogue will be held on the impact of Covid-19 on the human rights of older persons. You can register for the event here.
We advocate for the dignified treatment of older adults and offer assistance as they interact with the justice system. Whether you are an older person looking to learn more about your rights or a caregiver or some who suspects elder abuse, we may be able to assist you. We offer a range of legal services from summary advice through to full representation. We also strive to educate our community on ageism and the abuse of older persons by offering public legal education workshops and presentations.
Examples of areas where we can assist our clients include disputing home care invoices, financial fraud, elder discrimination, abuse and neglect.
Currently we do not draft powers of attorney documents, wills, guardianship applications or handle estate matters that exceed the Ontario Small Claims Court monetary jurisdiction of $35,000.00. CLA is part of the elder abuse response network, if we cannot assist you on a matter, we will refer you to other available services and resources.
If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, contact us or our partners at the Elder Abuse Response Program.
All of us age. How we treat our seniors reflects our collective values. On this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day we remind all of us that “rights don’t get old”.
Here are a few tips to practice:
LaSalle Police Services
Windsor Police Services
