Funding cut for elder abuse response program at Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization

It’s a devastating blow for staff with the Lethbridge Elder Abuse Response Network (LEARN).

The Alberta government decided not to renew funding for the program effective March 1, leaving workers feeling left behind in the fight against elder mistreatment.

“The message being sent is that their safety isn’t a priority,” says Amy Cook, the elder response network case manager with the Lethbridge Senior Citizens Organization (LSCO).

Cook is the former elder abuse case manager with LEARN, and says before the funding was cut, she had a caseload of approximately 20-40 people she was helping

According to Cook, this decision could negatively impact even more seniors than before.

“Over the next six months is really where it’s going to be hard because we’re going to continue to get calls here at the senior centre looking for elder abuse supports,” added Cook.

“We’re going to continue to have to — I’m going to continue to have to — have that conversation with different people and they’re going to ask who I call, and the answer is going to be, ‘There isn’t anybody.’”

Rob Miyashiro, the executive director of the LSCO says the cut totals about $110,000.

“Had to include wages, had to include not much for office space, very little — almost nothing — for office equipment and furniture, and mileage and some direct client costs.”

The LSCO will be reapplying for funding from the Alberta Elder Abuse Awareness council in the spring.

But for now, staff are still reeling from the news.

“I want to tell these people that they still deserve support, I just can’t give it to them anymore,” says Cook.

The grant is distributed by the Ministry of Public Safety and Emergency Services.

Arthur Green, the press secretary for the ministry, provided a statement which reads, in part, “The Community-Based Victims of Crime grant is being replaced by the new Specialized Criminal Justice Navigator grant which was announced in September of 2023.”

The statement went on to say, “This new grant was designed specifically to help Albertans navigate the immediate aftermath of a crime and ongoing complexities of the criminal justice system by funding frontline staff.”