Discover Sixty-Five: June 2022

www.bccrns.ca
Imagine,
Joe has a single older woman
living next door, and every day
he sees her water her plants and
have tea on her immaculate deck.
One day Joe realizes he hasn’t
seen her in many days but her
dirty teacup sits on the deck.
What would/can/should Joe do?
Some of us are comfortable just
knocking on her door. Some not.
Shirley goes to a local coffee
outlet every day. Over a couple
of weeks, coffee shop staff
noticed Shirley’s appearance was
changing. She was becoming
unkempt, appeared cold, dirty,
and hungry. Staff decided to
approach her to see if there was
something they could help with.
She confided in them that her son
had taken over her house and she
was now living in the basement
without proper cooking or bathing
facilities.
Because Joe and the coffee shop
staff had learned what to do from
a CRN workshop, they were able
to get Joe’s neighbour and Shirley
the help they needed.
Having some knowledge of elder
abuse and neglect will help you
deal with a potential situation and
make our communities safer for
all older adults.
Free trainings
are available to
everyone. No
matter your role or
activities in your
community, we interact
with seniors
every day. Having
the knowledge
to recognize and
respond appropriately
is everyone’s
role in keeping our
older adults safe.
Presentations: It’s Not Right,
See Something, Say Something,
Volunteering Is Good for YOU!
Let’s talk about ageism, how to
recognize and respond to potential
elder abuse, creating healthy
boundaries for working with and
for seniors, and how to open the
door to difficult conversations
which can prevent/stop abuse.
What is elder abuse? What are
the signs, types and symptoms
of elder abuse? What should or
shouldn’t you do? Who do you
call? How do you open the door
to conversations? Who is responsible
to investigate allegations of
elder abuse, neglect, self-neglect?
The pandemic has made our older
adults even more vulnerable
to abuse and neglect. This is your
invitation to do your part in creating
communities where all adults
are safe, included and respected.
Sandi McCreight has been working
with and for seniors for 15
years. Sharing her knowledge and
experience through free presentations/trainings.
She is the
Castlegar CRN Coordinator and
the creator and coordinator of the
IRIS program in Castlegar.
For more info or to book a presentation,
please contact Sandi
McCreight. Presentations can be
for your small or large group, or
for a collection of individuals.
Due to COVID, presentations are
via zoom only at this time.
Castlegar CRN Sandi McCreight
250.608.0706
castlegarcrn@hotmail.com
Beaver Valley CRN Jayme Fowler
Email: beavervalleycrn@gmail.com
Grand Forks CRN Rachel Warriner
Email: gradforkscrn@gmail.com
Kaslo CRN Elaine Smith
250.353.7666
Email: kaslocrn@yahoo.ca
Nelson CRN Maxx von Ilberg
Email: nelsoncrn@hotmail.com
Salmo CRN Helen Oldershaw
Email: helen@scrs.ca
Regional Mentor, West Kootenay/
Boundary: Heather von Ilberg
250.777.2103
Email: heather.vonilberg@bccrns.ca
For more info on the BC
CRN or your local CRN
please contact Heather
von Ilberg or your local coordinator.
These CRNs are part of the BC Association
of Community Response Networks (BC
CRN), whose mandate is to work with
community, agencies, and government to
develop a coordinated response to abuse
and neglect of vulnerable adults.
A CRN provides information and support so the community can both prevent and respond effectively to abuse and neglect.
Visit www.bccrns.ca for more information.
24 June 2022 DISCOVER SIXTY-FIVE, Kootenay Seniors Living