WAVERLEY, N.S. — Catwalk stars were born and hard lessons learned at a seniors' fashion show yesterday to raise awareness about problem gambling among the elderly.
It got racy at times, with a boisterous crowd of more than 150 packing a local Legion in suburban Halifax.
Bill Fraser, 75, drew calls of "take it off" from the predominantly female crowd as he sauntered through the room in tights and a sleeveless black muscle shirt. And 65-year-old Linda Chapman provoked a burst of whistles as she vamped it up in a low-cut purple dress.
"I was a bit nervous to begin with but I thought, 'What the heck,' " Ms. Chapman said. "I've seen them on the catwalks, so I thought I'd swing it."
David Chapman models workwear at the Waverley, N.S., legion Tuesday as part of a fashion show organized by the RCMP and Wal-Mart. (Sandor Fizli for The Globe and Mail)
Her husband was another of the models, all wearing clothing provided by a local Wal-Mart. Other brave souls included Sackville-Eastern Shore NDP MP Peter Stoffer and Percy Paris, NDP MLA for Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank.
"Anything for the seniors," Mr. Paris said, though he reconsidered when asked whether he would have modelled underwear.
While former supermodel Linda Evangelista famously said she didn't wake up for less than $10,000, the models at this event were eager volunteers who'd been honing their strut.
"I practised walking at home," said Vera Mills, who gave her age as over 50. "But when I got up there, I forgot it all and walked normally."
The event had a serious side, with police and addiction specialists taking advantage of the gathered crowd to provide information on the dangers of problem gambling among the elderly.
"We do know that there is an increasing trend of gambling among seniors," said RCMP Constable June Chiasson, one of the organizers of yesterday's event.
Elizabeth Stephen, a clinical therapist with the Capital District Health Authority who specializes in problem gambling, acknowledged that only a small percentage of seniors who gamble will develop a problem. But the exact number is unknown, she added.
Krista Grant, a spokeswoman for the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation, detailed in an e-mail the industry's efforts to combat problem gambling and said the investment is paying off.
"For example, the number of Nova Scotians who are at risk of developing a problem has dropped by 25 per cent, indicating that prevention programming is having a positive impact," she wrote. In a subsequent message, she wrote that seniors are not treated as a separate group in prevention planning. She added that "we know that the risk of problem gambling decreases with age."
But Ms. Stephen argued that assessment tools designed for younger adults may not measure accurately the problem among seniors. And she noted the historic stigma against gambling, saying it may prevent seniors from admitting that they're in over their heads.
"Gambling is not a risk-free activity," she warned. "Once you're going on a regular basis, that could be a yellow-flag moment."
Other warning signs were discussed after the modelling was done, as participants used fake money to test their luck at bingo, card tables and a betting wheel. Constable Chiasson said she recognized the paradox of using games of chance at an event warning about the potential dangers of gambling. The idea was to show how quickly fortunes could change, she explained, without the consequences of using real money.
"Some of the people are going to leave here at the end of the day with all kinds of money and some will leave with very little," she said. "It's an opportunity to educate on what the myths are about gambling."
Someone who quickly ran into difficulties was Sheila Stuart. A novice blackjack player, she soon lost about half her money despite instruction from the gentleman seated next to her.
"I can see where it can be very addictive," said Ms. Stuart, who said she was in her 60s. "I had $10,000 and I'm not sure how much I have left. I'm switching to bingo."
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Warning signs
Excessive gambling among seniors can raise unique issues, experts say.
Retired people, particularly those on limited incomes, have no way to replenish money that is lost and may feel more gambling is the only way to bounce back. And if a family member raises concerns about gambling, is the issue really the gambling or perhaps the fear of an inheritance being frittered away?
Another wrinkle is that gambling may be the sole social outlet for a senior, raising the question, for example, of whether daily bingo is a sign of gambling addiction or simply a social outlet. Or both? Reduced cognitive ability affecting judgment may be partly to blame for problem gambling among seniors.
But the symptoms of a potential problem are more clear-cut. Experts say family and caregivers should take note if any of these signs are showing:
Gambling more than once a month;
Spending money on gambling instead of necessities of life;
Using gambling as the sole social activity;
Evasiveness about the extent of gambling;
Regularly gambling until the last of the money on hand is gone;
Borrowing money to gamble;
Appearing remorseful about gambling.
Oliver Moore
