Join us for an eye-opening afternoon that empowers older adults with the knowledge to stay safe, informed, and confident. This special session brings together experts in aging, social work, and law to help you understand what ageism and elder abuse look like, how to recognize warning signs, and where to find support in our community. You’ll also learn how Wills can be challenged in court, what “testamentary capacity” really means, and how to protect yourself from undue influence.

• Tuesday, January 13, 2026 | 1:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Community Cafe, Westend Seniors Activity Centre

• Admission: $3.00 (pay at the door, includes coffee and treats)

EVENT SCHEDULE

1:45 to 2:30 p.m. – Ageism: What Every Older Adult Should Know
Presented by Rachel Augustine Pendrak, Community Response Coordinator, Sage Seniors Association

Ageism can affect people of all ages, but it’s especially common towards older adults. In fact, ageism is often considered one of the last socially acceptable forms of prejudice. In this session, we’ll talk about what ageism is, how it shows up in everyday life, and how it can influence our overall health. We’ll also explore ways to respond when experiencing age-based discrimination.

2:30 to 3:15 p.m.  – Elder Abuse
Presented by Elder Abuse Resources & Supports Program (EARS), Catholic Social Services

This presentation covers what is elder abuse, elder abuse in our community, types of abuse, resources in Edmonton. The purpose of the Elder abuse presentation is to create awareness about how elder abuse affects seniors, how to identify if someone is being abused and who to reach out to, for support in the community.

The Elder abuse awareness and prevention presentation will be presented by the EARS program from Catholic social services. The EARS program or the Elder abuse resource, support and information program supports seniors in Edmonton, who are experiencing low to high risk abuse by a person(s) of trust or seniors who are vulnerable and susceptible to being abused by a person(s) of trust.

3:30 to 4:15 p.m. – Testamentary Capacity and Undue Influence
Presented by Joshua Jackson, Lawyer, HTM Law LLP

This presentation will briefly discuss some of the ways a Will is challenged in court. These challenges are often grounded in allegations that the testator (will maker) lacked testamentary capacity and/or that the testator was subject to undue influence when making the Will. The session will outline the legal test for testamentary capacity as well as the test for undue influence.

MEET THE PRESENTERS

Rachel Augustine Pendrak
Community Response Coordinator at Sage Seniors Association. She educates seniors, communities and professionals about elder abuse. With a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, Criminology and Gerontology, she brings a multidisciplinary approach to her work. Rachel is part of the Diverse Voices Steering Committee, leads the Elder Abuse Consultation team meeting, and advocates for the respect and value of older adults.

Presenters of Elder Abuse
Speakers are registered social workers from the EARS program and partners with the Seniors Protection Partnership who work with the senior population to help mitigate abuse concerns and who are also involved in promoting elder abuse awareness in the community.

Joshua Jackson
Lawyer with HTM Law and has been practicing law since 2014. His practice focuses on real estate, estate planning and estate administration. Josh enjoys problem solving, offers practical solutions tailored to his client’s individual needs and enjoys hearing his client’s stories. Josh grew up on an acreage, helped his parents raise appaloosa horses and loves the outdoors. In his free time, Josh can be found hiking in the backcountry or racing on the North Saskatchewan River in a dragonboat.

REGISTRATION

• Call our Front Desk at 780 483 1209

• Send an email to ch****@*******rs.ca  

• Register at MyAciveCentre