Marking the start of a new Vancouver police awareness campaign, officers shared the details of two real cases to prove how vicious elder abuse can be.

Earlier this year, a 78-year-old woman was physically threatened by her adult son who was demanding money for drugs and alcohol.

Police said the son, 44, had a history of coming to the woman's home several times a day seeking money. On this occasion, he threatened to choke and beat his mother if she didn't give him any cash.

The woman locked herself in a room and called police. The man is currently facing charges.

In December, an 85-year-old woman noticed a chemical smell in her home. Suspecting the smell was coming from the basement, she headed downstairs to question her 56-year-old son.

The man threatened to kill his mother, then punched her in the face, pushed her down and kicked her ankle and knee. Police said he then left her on the basement floor, and she was forced to crawl upstairs.

A family member reported the incident the next day when they noticed the woman's injuries, and police discovered there were incidents of verbal and physical abuse dating back more than two decades.

The women's stories were shared at a news conference Wednesday as a solemn reminder that elder abuse exists in the city.

"This is often a very hidden crime, very personal tragedies are occurring, but not even the police find out about it sometimes," Vancouver Police Sgt. Jana McGuinness said.

"Elder abuse can be hidden in the confines of a family, or in a trusting relationship, and it can be for decades."

McGuinness spoke at the conference, hosted on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, as police launched a campaign meant to raise awareness of the issue.

Members of the Safety Awareness For Elders (SAFE) campaign will educate seniors, family members and care givers about recognizing the signs of abuse. They will also provide prevention tips and key resources to seniors at risk.

"We simply have to do more to safeguard the health and wellbeing of seniors."

The announcement came one day after police announced an arrest in an elder abuse case in Coquitlam. RCMP allege that a long-term care worker stole nearly $270,000 from the bank account of a 91-year-old woman in her care.

Crimes against seniors committed by strangers have also made recent headlines. Last month, two seniors were attacked seemingly at random in the middle of the day in Vancouver. One was punched in the face as she sat in her wheelchair, while the other was kicked off the walker she was sitting on. A suspect has been arrested in connection with the incidents, but police are asking more witnesses to come forward before he can be charged.