Simcoe County volunteers share seniors' grant

Barrie hosts flag raising at 1 p.m. on June 15 for UN's World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. (CTV NEWS)

The United Nations has declared June 15th as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

According to the 2016 Census, Simcoe County has more seniors over 65 than the provincial or national average.

With a population of 479,650, more than 18 per cent of the population of Simcoe County are seniors, compared to 16.7 percent provincially and 16.9 per cent nationally.

Six years after the census was taken, the population has grown, and so have not-for-profit agencies to assist the greying population.

Former senior policy analyst Pauline Luening is the chairperson of the Prevention of Senior Abuse Network and is readying to spend its $19,000 federal grant money on advising seniors on how not to get ripped off.

"Every session I run, at least one senior comes up and says 'thank you. I've been dealing with this for years and never knew it was wrong'," Luening said.

During the Simcoe County for the Reducing the Risk of Financial Abuse project, Luening says she'll have a number of speakers including financial advisors, lawyers and bankers speak at the upcoming fall sessions of the program.

"In a language seniors understand," Luening said.

Luening said the network of volunteers have learning modules to share on powers of attorney, asset management, understanding fair competency assessments, and the latest on frauds and scams.

The Prevention of Senior Abuse Network received one portion of the New Horizons for Seniors Program (NHSP) funding, while Third Age Barrie received $15,075 of the original 34,075.

"Third Age Barrie is a volunteer-run, not for profit organization that provides educational opportunities to later life learners in the Barrie area through three series and several single events each year," said Sandy Thurston, chairperson of the lecture series club.

Thurston said not all Third Age adherents embraced the online version of the program during COVID-19.

"The grant will help us as we come out of the pandemic, to return to our in-person educational programs at Grace United Church and continue to livestream. The grant will be used to purchase some equipment for live streaming, upgrade our website and social media presence, and explore some programming that adds a more social component to the online programs," Thurston said.

The government of Canada funding is supporting the two local organizations that deliver programs which empower seniors and contributes to improving seniors' health and well-being. The grant was awarded under the 2021-2022 NHSP community-based stream.

NHSP is a federal grants and contributions program that supports projects led or inspired by seniors who are making a difference in the lives of others in their communities. Program funding supports community-based projects and pan-Canadian projects.