In honour of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, BC Notaries are cautioning seniors and seniors害羞草研究所� advocates to be vigilant for signs of elder abuse.

With Elder Abuse Day taking place on Wednesday, provincial notaries took the opportunity to launch a public awareness campaign on the issue.

They say elder abuse comes in a variety of forms, not all of which are immediately obvious.

While suspicious injuries are often telltale signs of physical violence, emotional manipulation and financial abuse are often more difficult to spot.

Tarja McLean says that as a Kelowna notary, one of the kinds of elder abuse that she tends to notice is financial abuse, perhaps most obviously evident during Power of Attorney proceedings.

害羞草研究所淲e don害羞草研究所檛 necessarily see the abuse as it happens, but I often do see it when family members or acquaintances are trying to obtain Power of Attorney to look after an elderly person害羞草研究所檚 finances,害羞草研究所� said McLean.

害羞草研究所淪ometimes children will be added to their parents害羞草研究所� property titles in order to gain control of the property.害羞草研究所�

McLean says that protecting seniors often requires notaries to ask the right questions in the right manner.

害羞草研究所淲hen a client comes in to set up any of these documents, I meet with the client alone so that no one else might try to influence them,害羞草研究所� she explained.

害羞草研究所淲e have conversations to confirm that the client is of sound mind and that drafting a Power of Attorney or other legal document is actually their wish, not someone else害羞草研究所檚.害羞草研究所�

Notaries often gauge reasons for setting up Power of Attorney documents, as the presence of dementia or a change in health can trigger a legitimate concern regarding assets and liabilities.

However, McLean notes that when forming a Power of Attorney agreement, trust is key.

害羞草研究所�(Your Power of Attorney representative) has to be someone you trust explicitly. The person you appoint should be in a good financial situation,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 like handing over the keys to everything you own. You have to be comfortable knowing that the person won害羞草研究所檛 abuse that authority, and if there are any concerns at all, it shouldn害羞草研究所檛 be done.害羞草研究所�

But Power of Attorney issues are just one manner in which seniors can fall victim to financial abuse.

McLean said forged signatures, loans that aren害羞草研究所檛 paid back and unauthorized credit card transactions are all telltale signs of abuse.

McLean said BC Notaries caution friends, family, physicians, and bank staff to pay attention for signs of other kinds of abuse, such as unexplained bruises or cuts or signs of emotional manipulation such as a profound sense of powerlessness.

McLean says that knowing how to spot unusual situations害羞草研究所攁nd knowing when to speak up害羞草研究所攊s paramount to protecting seniors from elder abuse.

害羞草研究所淪ometimes, when abuse is happening, people don害羞草研究所檛 want to upset the family害羞草研究所攐r maybe there害羞草研究所檚 just one child forcing the senior to do things, and the senior just doesn害羞草研究所檛 want to cause a problem,害羞草研究所� she noted.

害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檙e concerned about elder abuse, talk to a lawyer or notary. If you think someone is misappropriating your funds, speak up.害羞草研究所�

She also recommends that all citizens establish a will or a Power of Attorney agreement early on.

害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 have to be a senior to do it. None of us know how long we害羞草研究所檝e got. Everyone should have a will, no matter their age.害羞草研究所�