Older adults in Windsor and Leamington received training to help seniors who may be victims of elder abuse.
Two workshops were held last week to train groups on how to provide information about services available.
Jessica Hsieh is the Research Manager for the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly or NICE.
She says the workshops are the result of a national mistreatment study that surveyed 8,000 people.
"One of the main findings was older adults are saying when they wanted to talk about elder abuse, they're not turning to their doctors, social workers or care givers, they're turning to their older adult friends," she says.
She adds once a senior confides in a friend, knowing what to do next is a challenge for many.
"These older adults are saying we don't know what to say when our friends are asking us about elder abuse, so that's the gap we're trying to close with these workshops," says Hsieh
Sixteen workshops were held across the province.
- with files from AM800's Patty Handysides