She said there is no simple answer to why there is senior on senior bullying.

“(Some think) It’s the high school bully turns into the senior bully, but that’s not the case. What we have found in research is that there are a number of factors that come into play.”

Those factors include how the building is structured. Small elevators and narrow hallways can create stress for seniors who use walkers and wheelchairs, or seniors who simply have mobility issues.

Loadman said even the lighting or the way the dining room is designed can be problematic.

“There’s the idea that people come in to these environments and they’re simply not prepared for what they’re going to experience … they’ve lived in a house for 50, 60, 70-years of their life and now they’ve arrived in a group setting, it’s like summer camp all over again, you have to share spaces.”

She said there are also stress factors like the loss of being close to family, loss of experiences and possibly the loss of respect from the community.

There’s still the life-long bully who, in a new community, isn’t used to the new people and personalities of the care home.

“This is a convergence of many different types of people and many different types of values and so part of (the presentations) is explaining to the residents within these environments this is what happens when people arrive here and this is how you can look at mitigating the collision of issues that you face.”

Loadman said stress can also come in the form of not being able to choose. Before arriving at the long-term care home residents chose where they lived, who their friends were and they get to pick the events they wanted to attend. After moving, a senior doesn’t even choose the food or chair they want.

There have been a number of requests for presentations like this over the last two years due to the number of people arriving at these facilities. Loadman said the amount of presentations is a really positive sign the issue is being addressed seriously.

Presentations will take place on Thursday, April 14:

Sherman Towers (888 First Avenue East) at 11 a.m.

Northcote Manor (795 First Avenue East) at 1 p.m.

Carment Court (230 Eighth Street East) at 2:30 p.m.

swallace@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahthesquid