The Canada Safety Council Reminds Canadians That Old Age is Not a Crime 

The Canada Safety Council, Canada’s voice and resource for Safety, has launched a PSA campaign in service of Elder Abuse Awareness and Prevention. It will run as part of National Senior Safety Week (November 6th-12th) to promote senior safety and  combat elder abuse. 

Across Canada, there are countless seniors who are facing abuse and neglect, and are living in prison-like conditions. In fact, according to the most recent studies around the issue of elder abuse, more than three quarters of a million Canadian elders have suffered some form of  abuse. And that is only what has been reported. 

The new PSA features a striking portrait series of senior citizens posing for mugshots. This is intended to make the viewer feel like they are looking at the face of a criminal and sets up the purpose for this campaign and its twist. 

“We really wanted to jolt people awake to the severity of the issue. That’s why we went in this direction,” says Gareth Jones, president and CEO of the Canada Safety Council. “We understand that the images may be triggering to some and shocking to others, but that is the point. This is real life for many seniors across the country and we need to address it.” 

“It is a sad reality that our most vulnerable group of people are regularly being abused and  mistreated in the most unthinkable ways,” says Lewis Smith, manager, National Projects at the Canada Safety Council. “This campaign is all about duality – we set the viewer up to think we  are talking about an inmate, when in fact we are talking about a regular elderly civilian. There is a range of emotions you experience when seeing this campaign – shock, anger, sadness, and then empathy. We hope this powerful message conveys the reality of this issue to Canadians so we can work together to end elder abuse.” 

Shot in partnership with Westside Studio and Nikki Ormerod, the entire casting process was done with the safety of the senior models as a top priority. All Covid-19 safety protocols were followed during the shoot, including the inclusion of a Covid-19 coordinator, regular  temperature checks, Covid-19 screening, sanitisation, masks, and social distancing. 

Several seniors answered the casting call and were proud to take part in this important initiative. One model, Howard Jerome, had this to say about the project: “I once felt like I was invincible; wrestled professionally, played serious football. No one would mess with me. Now I am over  eighty and I have been messed with. Elder abuse is real. If this campaign opens some eyes and hearts maybe we can bring some comfort, peace, and safety to my community. Who knows perhaps a life or two might be saved.” 

“Elder abuse is a forgotten about issue that doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Being able to support the Canada Safety Council and the important work they are doing as an organisation to help keep seniors safe really meant a lot to the entire team,” says André Yumbla-Bell, associate creative director at Juniper Park\TBWA.

The PSA is launching this week in print, out-of-home, digital and social and running for the duration of National Senior Safety Week. 

For more information about the campaign and to learn more please visit here.