Uproot Abuse Campaign Raises Awareness of Elder Abuse Across the Region this June

STONY PLAIN, AB: The Tri-Municipal Region is raising awareness of elder abuse this June in honour of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Residents are encouraged to join the Uproot Abuse campaign to increase awareness of elder abuse and work together to better support seniors in the region.

Community events led by the Tri-Region Elder Abuse (TREA) Coordinated Community Response will be hosted at local libraries on June 15. Events will be hosted at:

• Stony Plain Public Library (5216 50 Street, Stony Plain), 9-11AM
• Spruce Grove Library (35 5 Avenue, Spruce Grove), 10 AM-12 PM
• Entwistle Public Library (4916-51 Street, Entwistle), 9-11AM

Each event will include a special opportunity to connect by viewing short elder abuse video and receive elder abuse resources. Free Uproot Abuse Garden stakes and petunias will be available for participants to create their own Uproot Abuse awareness gardens.

“Ensuring seniors are provided with the resources and supports they need to thrive is critical not only for individual health and safety, but also for community well-being,” says Town of Stony Plain Mayor William Choy. “Last year, community members came together to plant 196 Uproot Abuse awareness gardens. The campaign works to honour our elders and demonstrate our community’s commitment to creating safer, more supportive spaces for all.”

“It is so important to connect with the seniors in our community and learn how to recognize the signs of abuse and who to contact if they need help,” says City of Spruce Grove Mayor Jeff Acker. “Looking out for one another like this contributes to a safe and healthy community for everyone.”

“Seniors are the anchor of our community. Current and future generations can prosper with the foundations seniors have laid for us, and the knowledge they continue to share,” says Parkland County Mayor Allan Gamble. “TREA works year-round to support the needs and secure the safety of seniors in a dignified way while supporting caregivers with education and resources. By addressing Elder Abuse, this day highlights the importance of our work in growing awareness around the issue, and we can ensure our whole community flourishes together.”

“Elder abuse can be complex due to factors such as an older adult’s health, disability, or the nature of the relationship with the abuser. This abuse can take a variety of forms including financial, emotional, medical, physical, and sexual as well as neglect. In many cases, multiple forms of abuse occur simultaneously,” says TREA Program Coordinator Marlene Gall. “By working together, our municipalities and service providers are able to create a strong network of support for seniors and provide educational resources for community members.”

The Uproot Abuse garden project is a joint initiative with TREA members including the Town of Stony Plain, Parkland County, City of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain Public Library, Parkland County Libraries, Spruce Grove Library, and Stony Plain and Wabamun Servus Credit Unions. TREA includes 22 regional stakeholders who work together to address elder abuse through spearheading awareness and education campaigns as well as providing wraparound supports to seniors in the Tri-Municipal Region.

Visit our World Elder Abuse Awareness Day page to learn more.