“As June has come to an end, the Ministry of Social Development and Seniors and Ageing and Disability Services wishes to thank the community and our community partners for their engagement in activities surrounding World Elder Abuse Awareness Day,” said the Minister of Social Development and Seniors, the Hon. Tinee Furbert, JP, MP.
“This June, we celebrated World Abuse Awareness Day with weekly activities, including our first annual Ageing and Disability Services Elder Abuse Awareness Tea and media discussions to spread awareness on The Daily Hour Show, Power 95 FM, Magic 102.7 FM, and Hott 107.5 FM.
Minister Furbert added, “As community collaboration is essential to prevent and protect against elder abuse, we are grateful for the Bermuda Bankers Association and the Bermuda Police Service for issuing a joint statement with Ageing and Disability Services to warn the community against active scams our community is facing. CEO of the Bermuda Bankers Association, Geoff Scott, noted, “It is an unfortunate reality that seniors are vulnerable to the increasing and sometimes sophisticated financial scams that we are seeing in Bermuda. Being aware of the types of fraud out there is one way we can protect ourselves. Bermuda’s banks will continue to partner with the Bermuda Police Service and Ageing and Disability Services to provide tips to help recognise, reject, and report fraud in our community.”
Manager and Senior Abuse Registrar, Mrs. Keeona Belboda, shared, “In Bermuda, the number of cases of senior abuse is increasing annually and is expected to grow with an ageing population. In 2019-2020 Ageing and Disability Services received 66 senior abuse reports, compared to a total of 88 in 2022-23.
“Financial exploitation is the leading type of abuse reported, followed by physical and psychological abuse. From international research, we know senior abuse is heavily underreported, and for this reason, in June, Ageing and Disability Services increases outreach to help raise awareness to prevent abuse and protect seniors. Investigating abuse can be a lengthy, difficult process, we do not want our seniors exposed to abuse in the first instance. Families, friends, and associates of seniors have a moral responsibility to prevent and protect.
“Senior abuse causes are complex, and those most at risk are typically women and persons with care support needs. Domestic violence is a central cause of senior abuse between intimate partners as well as adult children and their parents. Caregiver burnout, stress, and insufficient care skills are also factors that can lead to abuse. These causes can stem from or be exacerbated by the current economic pressures and limited access to care services. Furthermore, social isolation is a key risk factor for abuse. Social isolation can increase with age, and the pandemic made this a stark reality for many of our seniors.
Manager and Senior Abuse Registrar Belboda added, “This June, we celebrated the first Ageing and Disability Services’ Elder Abuse Awareness Tea which brought together over 100 people, including seniors, supporting agencies, and volunteers. The event was a great success, with presentations on: tips to prevent abuse, create enduring powers of attorney, and how to protect yourself from fraudsters. Seniors were able to ask questions, socialise and obtain information from community organisations on ways to stay engaged and find support.”
Acting Chief Inspector Derricka Burns, of the Vulnerable Persons Unit, said: “The Bermuda Police Service recognises that seniors are vulnerable and at risk of becoming victims of crime. I echo Ms. Belboda’s comments concerning the general under-reporting of Senior Abuse. It’s a growing problem, so it’s important that we work with our partners to deal with cases head-on and to also get the message out to the community in order to prevent victimisation. I am very pleased that approximately 15 police officers and support staff participated in this important initiative. Detective Constable, Kendy Swainson of the Financial Crime Unit, gave a presentation on financial abuse, including preventative tips, to the seniors. This resulted in additional referrals of potential Elder Abuse.”
Minister Furbert concluded, “On behalf of the Government of Bermuda, thank you to the community partners who attended and shared information at the Elder Abuse Awareness Tea, including the Bermuda Police Service, Nathan Samuels of MJM law firm, Age Concern, Senior Learning Center, Eastern Zone Community Center, Final Steps, Action on Alzheimer’s and Dementia, the Bermuda National Library & Archives and The Open Door Christian Assembly who generously hosted the event.
“Although we turn the spotlight on elder abuse in June, supporting and protecting clients and developing Bermuda's adult protection system is our ongoing focus. The Ministry of Social Development and Seniors and Ageing and Disability Services is developing a structured decision-making framework for adult protection services, making key amendments to the Senior Abuse Registrar Act, and developing a National Seniors Strategy. These initiatives will help strengthen our existing system, identify key areas for improvement, and better define our path to reduce the risk of abuse and enable client-centered protection and support.
“Senior abuse is everyone’s responsibility. We all have a role in working together to prevent and protect Bermuda’s seniors to ensure they are treated with dignity and respect, and their fundamental rights are upheld. We encourage the community to report concerns to Ageing and Disability Services at ads@gov.bm or 292-7802.”