The course is divided into two parts - 1. Elder abuse and 2.Elder fraud First part: Elder Abuse Every day in this country seniors are abused, neglected, and exploited, often by people they trust the most. Abusers may be spouses, family members, personal acquaintances, or professionals in positions of trust, or opportunistic strangers who prey on the vulnerable. How big is the problem? Research indicates that more than one in ten elders may experience some type of abuse, but only one in five cases is reported. This means that those very few seniors who have been abused get the help they need. One thing is for certain: elder abuse can happen to any older individual – your client, your family member, your employee – it can even happen to you. Elder abuse will remain a hidden crime unless we all step forward, learn about it, and do something about it when we see a senior being abused. In this section you will learn: • Why seniors are susceptible to abuse • The types of elder abuse • Who abuses seniors • Why seniors are abused • Where abuse happens • What you can do to help prevent or stop elder abuse • How to report elder abuse You will also hear stories about those who have been abused. Second part: Elder Fraud Elderly individuals are the most frequent targets of fraud and scams. Fraudsters target the elderly, as they may be lonely, willing to listen, and are more trusting than younger individuals. Financial scams targeting seniors have become so prevalent that they’re now considered “the crime of the 21st century.” Why? Because seniors are thought to have a significant amount of money sitting in their accounts. Older Canadians are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. Elderly victims may not report crimes, for example, because they are concerned that relatives may think the victims no longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs. But as we have seen from the ongoing CRA scam, anyone regardless of age can be defrauded or scammed. In this section you will learn about: • The most common fraud tactics used on seniors • The most successful frauds and scams being committed against Canadians • Why seniors fall for frauds and scams • How seniors are targeted • How to report frauds and scams