Reducing elder abuse requires more than just awareness. It calls for a coordinated, well-resourced effort rooted in community knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and sustained support.
For years, local advocates, service providers, and concerned citizens across British Columbia have worked to address adult abuse, neglect, and self-neglect.
However, without multi-sectoral coordination many promising initiatives would have undoubtedly struggled to gain traction.
With that in mind the multi-sector BC Council to Reduce Elder Abuse (CREA) fills that gap.
By investing in community-led innovation, CREA focuses on long-term, systemic, and coordinated change so that adults can live free from abuse, and more British Columbians will know how to recognize and respond when something isn’t right.
A Brief History of the BC Council to Reduce Elder Abuse
CREA was established in 2013 in response to a clear need for a multi-sector, strategic-level approach to addressing the many types of elder abuse.
Its formation was driven by the recognition that a diverse array of sectors including health, justice, legal, financial, policing, service providing organizations, and Indigenous and ethno-cultural populations all have a role to play in building awareness about elder abuse, establishing prevention measures, and, when and where appropriate, training staff to recognize and respond to suspected abuse and neglect.
As a result, CREA emerged as an independent entity committed to galvanizing society to take action, while supporting innovative and community-driven projects across B.C.
“CREA has been a very successful vehicle for engagement building, for sharing of resources, building synergies, identifying gaps in support networks, and recognizing the unique roles and initiatives that different sectors can undertake to fortify each other’s actions. And, of course, the Capacity Building Grants that are offered periodically, which really connect CREA with challenges and needs in communities,” said Kelly Acker, who works with the Health Services Integration Division of B.C.’s Ministry of Health.
Health Services Integration
BC Ministry of Health, Seniors Directorate
In 2013, Acker oversaw the Elder Abuse portfolio within the Ministry of Health’s Seniors Directorate, where she played a pivotal role supporting the launch of CREA, part of the province’s Together to Reduce Elder Abuse Strategy. As she prepares to retire at the end of August, her steadfast leadership, deep commitment, and tireless advocacy will be profoundly missed.
What CREA Funds and Why It Matters
One of CREA’s areas of focus is funding projects and research that deliver measurable impacts when it comes to reducing elder abuse.
Grants primarily support grassroots initiatives, community outreach programs, and educational projects, all designed to empower communities and vulnerable adults.
Projects typically funded by CREA include:
- Community awareness campaigns to help the public identify and respond to signs of elder abuse
- Training programs that equip frontline workers, volunteers, and community members with the knowledge to detect elder abuse and respond effectively
- Research initiatives aimed at understanding the roots of elder abuse and identifying evidence-based prevention strategies
- Innovative pilot projects designed to test new approaches in elder abuse prevention that could be scaled province-wide
The strategic intent behind these projects is clear: reduce elder abuse by creating informed, supportive, and vigilant communities.
“CREA’s Capacity Building Grants are an excellent opportunity to build resources and awareness in the community and galvanize action,” said Acker.
The Impact of CREA’s Community-funding Initiatives
One of CREA’s goals is to support and strengthen the capacity of local communities to proactively reduce elder abuse.
By backing initiatives tailored to the unique demographics and cultures of B.C.’s diverse communities, including Indigenous Peoples, newcomers, and remote rural populations, CREA ensures elder abuse prevention is inclusive and accessible.
For example, CREA funding has enabled programs that:
- Increase awareness of financial elder abuse through targeted educational campaigns
- Develop culturally relevant resources for Indigenous communities, which help to address the unique challenges faced by elders
- Support community-specific training for frontline responders, which helps to improve early identification and intervention
Looking Forward: Expanding Impact Through Strategic Collaboration
CREA’s vision includes fostering universal awareness of elder abuse, building community capacity, and ultimately, achieving a measurable decline in elder abuse across B.C.
CREA is currently supported by Action Groups focused on Financial Abuse Investigations, and Data Collection.
Among other things, continued cooperation through CREA could help to expand the creation of innovative digital resources, enhance multilingual outreach efforts, and fund robust research initiatives that provide critical insights to policymakers.
Looking toward the future, Acker said CREA’s work is important for building a common, cross-sector understanding of the prevalence and characteristics of elder abuse, neglect, and self- neglect and finding ways to work across sectors to address the multi-faceted nature and many types of elder abuse.
She also pointed to the need to create discussion about the issue and its complexity to bring it out into the open and foster awareness so that we all take a role in preventing and addressing elder abuse.
“It’s not something we talk about in society. This is often understandable, as the abuser could be a beloved family member or the person experiencing abuse could be dependent on the abuser,” she said.
Acker is looking forward to CREA’s upcoming conference, which is taking place on February 11-12, 2026, in Richmond, BC and will bring together key organizations dedicated to the prevention of elder abuse in B.C. Presenters will highlight provincial and community-based elder abuse action projects, share and build on knowledge and resources they have produced and identify new areas for action.
If you’d like to learn more about CREA, and how you can contribute to reducing elder abuse, you can visit ReduceElderAbuseBC.ca for more information.
