Senior care workers hope more people will start paying attention to strange or changing behaviour so they can help seniors who may affected by elder abuse.

The abuse can be physical, but it can also be financial or neglectful, and is sometimes difficult for the seniors themselves to recognize.

Some may also make excuses, blaming themselves for the bumps and bruises or be so isolated there is no one to talk to.

Caregiver stress from the burden of constantly caring for an aging relative can be a contributor to elder abuse.

Andrew Doney owns Nurse Next Door and says a lot of the people who use his private service are frustrated daughters.

“Often they call us in crisis, it’s time to get some help.”

There is also help available in the public sector from groups like the Community Care Access Centre (CCAC).

Liz Neison is the CCAC representative on the region’s Elder Abuse Response Team (EART) and says having another person in the home helps ensure no abuse is taking place.

“We have eyes in the home, we have education in the home, we have professionals who can talk to caregivers around the stress of care giving.”

The EART is a collaboration with the Waterloo Regional Police Service that was formed in 2004 to help support seniors in the community experiencing abuse.

Team member Det. Const. David Haughey says “We are identifying if a Criminal Code offence has been committed and we take that into consideration as we are investigating the allegation of abuse.”

While they say most calls for help don’t come from the victim, it isn’t always easy for those looking in from the outside to see the symptoms.

Neison says “Some of the abuse has a more subtle presentation to it.”

Changes to habits can signal abuse, as can unpaid bills, sudden adjustments to a will, missed appointments or a decline in personal hygiene, among other things.

If a senior’s behaviour towards their caregiver changes to fear and they seem frail or anxious, it may be time task some important question Haughey says.

“‘Do you feel safe in your home?’ Or ‘we haven’t seen you out at the church recently, is everything okay?’”

The abuser may also present some clues, if they’re showing too much concern for the senior or hesitating to leave them alone.

If you suspect elder abuse is taking place, or are a victim of it yourself, you are encouraged to contact any of the numerous resources available in Waterloo Region.