It is now the first of July and I have been asked to write the September message as your 1st Vice President. I do hope all members had a great summer and enjoyed the change from their schedules of meetings. I have enjoyed July thus far.

Our convention in Kitchener will be over and a new slate of officers installed. The list of resolutions will be either passed or not passed and the next job will be to get the "Brief" written to present to the Ontario government. I know you will have enjoyed your time in Kitchener and I hope I had the opportunity to meet many new first time conventioneers.

The Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) has moved to a new office at:

ONPEA
800 Bay Street, 7th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 3A9

Phone: 416.640.7784
Fax: 416.750.3624

www.onpea.org

Our new Executive Director, Terri Kay, has the strategy moving forward. ONPEA is a partner with the Ontario Seniors' Secretariat and the Ministry of the Attorney General.

They are working across our province focusing on our three priorities:

1) coordination of community services
2) training for front line staff
3) education to raise public awareness

Bill Ryan from Sudbury is our Chair. If you require more information, please contact ONPEA. Each of the eight areas has a Regional Elder Abuse consultant. You can obtain their phone number by phoning the office. They are willing to come and speak to clubs in their area and I am also willing to come and speak about Elder Abuse or the USCO.

Again, I ask you to go to a nursing home if you have a few minutes to spare and adopt a patient who has no one to visit them. Try to visit them on different days at different times so you are not expected on a regular basis. You will then get a better idea of the care they are receiving.

The Ontario Provincial Police have two Detective Sergeant Coordinators for the Seniors Assistance Team, Crime Prevention Section: Leslie Craig and Rick Tout. They work across our province to educate and prevent abuse. Many of you will already have met this excellent team.

What is Elder Abuse?

Elder Abuse is most often defined as an act that harms a senior or jeopardizes his or her health or welfare. Elder Abuse can take the form of financial, emotional or physical abuse or neglect. Financial abuse is by far the most common form of elder abuse, followed by emotional and physical abuse and neglect.

Elder abuse can take place in the home, in residential settings or in the community. It is estimated that between 4 to 10 per cent (60,000 - 150,000) of Ontario's seniors experience some type of abuse.

The Voice is an important way to know what is happening at the USCO and the events other clubs are having and where you can get great ideas for your own club. It is a good idea to have one person report each month on the articles in The Voice. Please keep us up-to-date by sending in the interesting happenings at your club. A subscription is $15.00 per year.

Your Field Rep, Executive and Board are only as far away as your phone and are willing to come to your clubs to speak, do elections or install your officers.

Have you used our new website at www.uscont.ca? It is a wealth of information. Visit it and find out all about the USCO.

I'd like to thank all the dedicated volunteers who work so diligently to make their club and the USCO such a success. You are the backbone of the organization and we appreciate all that you do to help seniors. Thank You!

Thanks to the Executive, Board and Field Reps for making this past year so successful - a great team to work with. Thank you everyone!

Do you know our devoted staff in the office? Beverly Dougherty and Joyce Turner are there to answer your questions and help you when needed. Thank you, ladies. Our toll-free number is 1.888.320.2222.

As you swing back into fall and start up your clubs, I wish you success and a happy, healthy year. We need each one of us working together to guard our seniors who are vulnerable and unable to speak for themselves.

Have a great year and God Bless.

Marie M. Smith