What are the key services the Alzheimer Society of B.C. provides?

Working in communities throughout the province, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. supports and advocates for and with people affected by dementia. We enable research into the disease, which includes collaborating with municipalities and businesses to build communities that are inclusive, supportive and accessible for people living with dementia. Through the Dementia-Friendly Communities initiative and close work with health authorities and care providers, the Alzheimer Society of B.C. helps to connect people to the services they need and ensure health-care providers have the skills and knowledge to provide the best care possible, through access to person-centred dementia education. We also work closely with advocates with lived experience to ensure their voices are heard by leaders and policy makers at the municipal, provincial and federal levels.

Through the Alzheimer Society of B.C.’s suite of First Link® dementia support services, the Society provides:

• Individual support: Ongoing support calls to identify changing needs and offer information and resources tailored to each unique situation; 
• Support groups: In-person and online groups for caregivers and people in the early stages of dementia to learn from and connect with others in a similar situation;
• Dementia education: Workshops and weekly webinars on a wide variety of topics from diagnosis to end of life;
• Minds in Motion®: A social and fitness program for people in the early stages of dementia and a care partner, based in community centres;
• Coffee and Chat: A social program for people in the early stages of dementia and caregivers to have fun while connecting with others in a similar situation;
• Information: Resource handouts, brochures, fact sheets and videos, as well as quarterly newsletters containing updates on events in a specific area; and
• First Link® Dementia Helpline: A centralized access point for dementia information and support for anyone affected by dementia, personally or professionally. Learn more here.

What are the connections or interactions between the Alzheimer Society of B.C. and the law?

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. supports and educates families in planning for the future, including legal and financial needs. Connecting with partners such as the CCEL is a way to provide the families support with meaningful and accessible information from experts through workshops. The Society also works directly with organizations and businesses who engage with families affected by dementia – including law firms – to develop dementia-friendly practices. Partnering with the CCEL has been an opportunity to educate lawyers about the impact of legislation, regulations and policy on people with lived experience of dementia, while also being able to contribute to and influence law reform – an essential component of improving the lives of people affected by dementia.

Why is the Canadian Elder Law Conference important to the Alzheimer Society of B.C.? Do you have any topics from past conferences that you found stuck with you?

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. appreciates opportunities to share its vision and mission with a wider audience of people interested in issues affecting our aging population, as well as being able to share dementia-friendly practices and amplify the voices of people with lived experience.

Anything else you want to attendees/potential attendees to know about the Alzheimer Society of BC and their efforts in serving an aging population?

The Alzheimer Society of B.C. believes that people living with dementia are individuals with the same human rights as everyone else, including the right to form their own opinions and participate in decisions about their life and care. It is essential that people living with dementia and their families and caregivers be consulted in discussions as well as legislative or procedural decisions on topics that affect them. The Society respects the right of all people living with dementia to advocate for their personal best interests; we are here to provide people living with dementia with support and information so that they can make informed decisions about their care, including end of life. We encourage people living with dementia to engage in personal planning and make their wishes for health and personal care decisions known to their family members and substitute decision-makers as soon as possible after diagnosis. Ensuring lawyers see that a diagnosis of dementia does not mean one loses the ability to make or communicate a decision – and that patience, respect and making space for the person living with dementia, is critical to ensuring the person living with dementia retains their right to express their own choices.

The post CCEL Spotlight: Alzheimer’s Society of B.C. first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

We have a few days to go until the 2023 Canadian Elder Law Conference on Thursday, the first to be in-person since 2019. The speakers are preparing to share their knowledge and CLE BC has been working hard to make sure things run smoothly for those in-person and online. One aspect that makes the Canadian Elder Law Conference unique is the emphasis on an inter-disciplinary attendance. Bringing these different perspectives allows for interesting perspectives and dialogue on the issues affecting older persons.

Making these different perspectives possible are amazing supporters of the Canadian Elder Law Conference. We would like to take a moment to thank the organizations committed to supporting the inclusion of attendees from non-profits, the health care profession, and students. Without their longtime support of the Canadian Elder Law Conference, we would not have as vibrant discussions and forward-looking thought to this unique and intersecting area of law.

The post Thanks for Supporting the CCEL first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

When asked about her involvement with the BC Securities Commission, she told us she has always had an interest in investing, starting with her university education and early work in securities. Ms. McDonald worked in the financial communications sector, leading her to a longtime career in communications and public affairs.  When the opportunity arose for her to combine her passion for communications work and interest in the investment industry, Ms. McDonald jumped at it, becoming the Director of Communications & Education at the BC Securities Commission in 2013.  

We asked Ms. McDonald how the BC Securities Commission is involved in Elder Law and her answer was an important call to action: 

“We want all British Columbians to recognize the signs of elder financial abuse which is one of the most commons forms of elder abuse. In 2021, a national study conducted by the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) to understand how elder financial abuse impacts Canadians, found that one third (31%) of British Columbians personally know someone who experienced elder financial abuse. At the same time, half of all British Columbians (50%) say they could not recognize the signs of financial abuse, while only 42% know where to report incidents of financial abuse. These statistics inform the work done by the BC Securities Commission to empower all British Columbians to recognize, reject, and report elder financial abuse and investment fraud by learning how to recognize common warning signs.” 

The BC Securities Commission provides helpful information on identifying elder financial abuse on their website, including an informative video that explains what financial elder abuse is and how to help protect older adults from investment fraud.  

Ms. McDonald went on to discuss with us the Trusted Contact Person (TCP) initiative recently adopted by Canadian securities regulators as an important tool for protecting individuals from potential financial abuse. Ms. McDonald explained, “A TCP may be a family member, attorney, accountant, or another responsible person who respects an individual’s privacy and has their best interests at heart. When naming a TCP, individuals will provide written consent for this person to be contacted, in limited circumstances, if there are suspicions about investment fraud or if their advisor has concerns about one’s ability to make financial decisions and has been unable to reach their client about investment fraud or if their advisor has concerns about one’s ability to make financial decisions and has been unable to reach their client.” 

Opportunities for the BC Securities Commission to discuss elements of elder law, including estate planning, capacity, and inter-family dynamics, with other professionals is key to ensuring awareness of the occurrence of financial abuse. Part of this awareness is encouraging inter-professional dialogue to help prevent financial abuse but also involvement of the BC Securities Commission in situations where financial abuse may have occurred.  

The BC Securities Commission is a Silver sponsor for the Canadian Elder Law Conference and sees the Conference as an opportunity to further these conversations, with Ms. McDonald noting, “Elder financial abuse often involves a family member, so we feel it’s important for professionals who are assisting in these matters to be aware of the issue. This year’s conference theme is “Tools for Aging Populations,” and we see value in the multi-disciplinary presentations and discussions about ethical issues faced by the legal community when dealing with elder financial abuse.” 

The post Preventing Financial Abuse: Role of the BC Securities Commission first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

Born out of the hard work of my predecessors, the Canadian Elder Law Conference is greatly supported through many different organizations and people. The Co-Chairs, Hugh McLellan, Geoff White, KC, and Kimberly Whaley; CLEBC; and CCEL are pleased to announce that among the knowledgeable faculty are the Chief Coroner, Lisa Lapointe, and the Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie. In addition to Ms. Lapointe and Ms. Mackenzie, our wonderful faculty’s contributions mean we can hold sessions that provide an update on case law from across the country, understanding undue influence and best practices to spot and respond to it, MAiD, or emerging issues in Elder Law, to name a few. It is a dynamic time for this area with many ripples along the horizon.

We will release a series of articles leading up to the Conference in hopes of inspiring you, the way my first Conference inspired me. In this article, we are featuring Jan Goddard, Founding Partner of Goddard Gamage LLP, a longtime supporter and current Gold level sponsor of the Canadian Elder Law Conference. Ms. Goddard served as a Co-Chair previously, and regularly features as a speaker. This year, Ms. Goddard will join us as a panelist to discuss developments in case law from across the country. Ms. Goddard reflected on her experiences at the Canadian Elder Law Conference, saying:

“I have attended every Canadian Elder Law Conference since its inception. It was the first and still is the leading forum for the exchange of ideas, knowledge and wisdom between practicing lawyers, academics from many disciplines, advocates, students, and community members on the important subject of how law and aging intersect. There have been so many memorable keynote addresses, including from notable senior jurists. My favourite sessions were the debates we staged at each of the three conferences I co-chaired. They were topical, informative, and entertaining – quite a feat when your mandate is to deliver serious continuing education. I am looking forward to re-connecting with colleagues from across the country at this year’s conference and as well as meeting new converts to the practice of elder law. See you in Vancouver!”

We look forward to hosting Ms. Goddard and all our colleagues soon.

The post Inspiring Conversations About Elder Law: The 2023 Canadian Elder Law Conference and CCEL first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.

While in law school, my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and I watched my mom take on the role of adult caregiver from afar. Seeing the need for accessible legal support, I began focusing much of my outreach and legal education on questions of capacity, guardianship, and consent. I have been fortunate to practice elder law and teach a course on this vital area at Thompson Rivers University, Faculty of Law. Much of my method to teaching law students is to instill a passion in them for this growing area of practice.

For me, learning of the CCEL and its work was vital to my work and interest. Ensuring that our laws protect vulnerable adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation while at the same time respecting their rights to decisional autonomy and personal freedom is a key priority for me. It is with this in mind that I acknowledge that today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

Over the last 20 years, the work of the CCEL has factored elder abuse into many of our projects, such as Oversight of the Work of Health Care Assistants in BC, Vulnerable Investor Protective Action and Legal Safe Harbour Project, and Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, Knowledge Sharing Project.

One project in particular, though, was released in April 2022 and is an essential resource for those seeking information on and help for elder abuse across the country – the Practical Guide to Elder Abuse and Neglect Law in Canada. It is my hope that anyone needing assistance in preventing, spotting, or protecting from elder abuse, accesses this Guide as it is essential information that everyone should have.

Thank you to the team at BCLI and CCEL for welcoming me so warmly. Thank you to my predecessors for an amazing 20 years of work to build from. I cannot wait to see what we can do next.

The post Marking 20 Years and World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: Thoughts from our New CCEL Director first appeared on British Columbia Law Institute.