POSITIVE LIVING

Our Positive Living – Financial Fraud and Abuse Awareness for Seniors event brought seniors from Markham, Thornhill and the GTA together to learn how to protect their finances.

Key Benefits to Seniors:

> Learned directly from the York Region Police on how to identify scams and how to report them.

> Made aware that you can contact the York Region Police to discuss your concerns if you believe you are experiencing financial abuse. No one will be arrested and police officers can come in street clothes. Police officers are there to share knowledge and help you.

> Learned about the CRA scam and the key warning signs.

> Learned about email scams that request you to send money to a friend or family member who is in trouble

> Learned about the difficult situation when a senior is being financially abused by a family member.

> Received Focus Group Booklet with information and resources to protect yourself against financial fraud.

Our day began with an Arka Dhyana Intuitive Meditation demonstration by CCA-Canada: Darren Mankasingh, Manesha Parmar, Hitesh Dani and Shanoo Baskaran. Constable Bussie Wood from York Region Police and Raeann Rideout, Director, Provincial Partnerships & Outreach for Elder Abuse Ontario gave an informative PowerPoint and video presentation on abuse, financial abuse and critical resources for seniors.

We then had a Seniors Panel to share stories of abuse. Tom Kane, retired professor, provided a video of his experience with the CRA scam. Rosanne Berry shared a PowerPoint presentation on an email scam with screenshots of the emails and how she responded to them. Rose Robinson with the help of Constable Bussie Wood shared her story of financial fraud.

Federal MP and cabinet minister, Mary Ng joined the event to congratulate CCA-Canada and share the value of the New Horizons for Seniors Program. Markham Regional Councillor Jack Heath presented CCA-Canada with a certificate of appreciation from Markham mayor, Frank Scarpitti.

We enjoyed a delicious, vegetarian buffet lunch. After lunch, we ran a Focus Group session that tested the knowledge of seniors and provided them with the answers to the questions to enrich their knowledge.

We provided focus group booklet handouts to all participants and extras to be shared with their family to further spread knowledge of how to protect oneself from financial fraud and abuse.

The event was professionally guided by our Master of Ceremonies, Nadia Ricci.

Thank you to the Federal government – Employment and Social Development Canada – New Horizons for Seniors Program for the funding to hold this event.

Thank you for inviting us, we enjoyed speaking to the senior audience. It is always a well organized event, so congratulations on a job well done to you and your team of volunteers.

Raeann Rideout
Director, Provincial Partnerships & Outreach Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario 

> Arka Dhyana Intuitive Meditation Demonstration
> Seniors Information Panel – Sharing Experiences
> Focus Group
> Light Vegetarian Lunch and Refreshments