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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Thursday, June 11, 2015 | 12 Forum spotlighting elder abuse Halton police will join registered nurses and other community organizations in hosting a special event for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Thursday, June 18. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is recognized around the globe every June to raise the visibility of elder abuse and related issues. The Halton event will be held at the Halton Region Auditorium at 1151 Bronte Rd., from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Police said elder abuse is a concern as nearly one in 10 Ontario seniors experience it in some form. Only a fraction of these cases are reported. "Elder abuse is like a big elephant in the room, and not many people want to talk about it," said Karimah Alidina, president of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) Halton chapter. "We need to hold an open and honest dialogue so that we can better address elder abuse, and protect Halton Region's older population." She added that elder abuse can have a major impact on the health and wellbeing of seniors. Between 2010 and 2014, Halton police received more than 400 reports of elder abuse. About 60 per cent of these reports were related to assault, but police said older adults are vulnerable to many forms of abuse -- including physical, emotional, financial, sexual, and A special event will be held Thursday, June 18 at the Halton Regional Centre to draw attention to World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. | courtesy Halton Regional Police Service neglect. "Our elders deserve our respect, love and appreciation. They are our parents, grandparents and cornerstones of our community," said Halton Police Chief Stephen Tanner. "Our police force works closely with our community partners to educate the public, prevent abuse and neglect and provide support to our elders." Rochella Vassell of Elder Abuse Ontario said four out of five instances of elder abuse go undetected with seniors often reluctant to report incidents because of fear or shame. "This local event will heighten awareness that elder abuse is a local issue that must be addressed and taken seriously," said Vassell. "Every person in our community is encouraged to promote seniors' rights and ensure they are treated with respect and dignity." Halton police, the RNAO Halton chapter, Elder Abuse Ontario, and the Elder Abuse Prevention Committee of Halton are jointly presenting the June 18 event. Oakville MPP and Ontario Labour Minister Kevin Flynn and more than 13 community organizations will be participating. To register, visit http://bit.ly/ WEAADREGISTER or call the Halton Seniors Helpline at 1-866-457-8252. n O o p w en Great Family DininG For over 40 years! Call now to book your free session Visit our new location today! 2420 Lakeshore rd., W. unit 1112, Oakville Breakfast · Lunch · Dinner 905-827-4851 Mon. - Sat. 8am - 9pm Sun. 8am - 3pm