On October 1, we celebrate National Seniors Day. Despite being the backbone of our communities, older people face significant barriers such as poverty, unsafe housing, discrimination, health care issues, and abuse. The pandemic has highlighted both the vulnerability of older people and the chronic institutional abuse and neglect they experience in long-term care. So much more can be done to develop policy responses to address their needs and enhance their access to justice.

In 2003, the British Columbia Law Institute established the Canadian Centre for Elder Law (“CCEL”) as its division focused on law and policy issues related to aging. The CCEL collaborates with older people, non-profit community agencies, and other key stakeholders to conduct research and develop reports and educational tools.

Currently, the CCEL is working on the following:

• Updating and re-publishing our Practical Guide to Elder Abuse and Neglect Law in Canada as a bilingual wiki;
• Exploring models of oversight over the practice of un-regulated health care assistants working in long-term, home, and community care; and
• Developing resources to teach health care stakeholders how to support people living with dementia to participate in decision-making.

Find CCEL publications at bcli.org/ccel.