Thank you for inviting the network to speak to you today on this important issue.

We commend the committee for its dedication and decision to amend the Criminal Code to acknowledge the abuse and neglect experiences of older adults.

The chronic neglect and abuse of older adults living in long-term care facilities in Canada is a long-standing problem. Two recent reports document the appalling conditions that residents in long-term care facilities experienced during COVID. Legislative support for the recently released Health Standards Organization new national long-term care standards could help address the problem.

However, encounters with elder abuse survivors can occur in hospital settings and in the community. For example, in hospital settings, older adults could be admitted due to existing physical or mental health problems, but also as a result of the abuse, for example, for injuries and malnutrition.

In 2021, the World Health Organization released its “Global report on ageism”. It brought ageism and elder abuse and neglect to the forefront.

Elder abuse and neglect were rampant in our communities and facilities long before COVID. Elder abuse has been a silent pandemic for years. From a 2015 national study, we learned the prevalence rate of mistreatment was 8.2% among Canadians aged 55 and over. That's over 750,000 Canadians. Mistreatment includes physical, emotional, sexual and financial abuse, systemic abuse and neglect, and the violation of rights and freedoms.

We know it exists, but we have no idea of the actual size and nature of the problems of abuse and neglect in the community or in facilities. Our knowledge is incomplete because we lack the type of investigations we urgently need. We need prevalent studies in the community and facilities, substantive theory development and clinical trials to test out interventions, both socially and legally.

CNPEA is one of the many voices calling for elder abuse and neglect to be recognized and addressed at the federal, provincial, territorial and local levels, with an emphasis on prevention and early detection through a collective, sustained effort. Mounting research demonstrates that older adults who experience abuse and neglect are at an elevated risk for a wide range of negative health and well-being outcomes, yet even as the older adult population grows and rates of elder abuse rise across the globe, it continues to be overlooked and perpetrated by individuals within the facilities.

Although awareness of elder abuse is likely to have increased, it remains an ill-defined concept within society and for older adults, specifically. Elder abuse is a complex issue that requires nuanced responses. There is no one-size-fits-all solution, because older Canadians are not a homogenous group. Layers of identity, such as gender, race, sexual orientation, economic standing and disability have a direct impact on a person's risk of victimization and their ability to report and to access social services.

If we are serious about tackling elder abuse and neglect, we need to start by confronting ageism. By the World Health Organization's definition:

Ageism arises when age is used to categorize and divide people in ways that lead to harm, disadvantage, and injustice. It can take many forms including prejudicial attitudes, discriminatory acts, and institutional policies and practices that perpetuate stereotypical beliefs.

It's rarely recognized as the violation of human rights that it is.

Both the WHO and the UN emphasize the importance of age-friendly communities. That includes long-term care facilities. A supportive, age-inclusive community that promotes health and safety and well-being across the lifespan leaves less room for abuse and neglect to breed.

CNPEA has recently completed phase one of a project with a group of partners, entitled “Future Us”. It is a clear and articulated pan-Canadian road map to increase the prevention of elder abuse and neglect. Thanks to funding from the Department of Justice victims fund, we've developed a guide with multiple entry points that will allow us at an individual, organizational, facility or government level to play a role in preventing elder abuse and neglect.

The sector of elder abuse and neglect prevention is a very fragmented one. Not all provinces and territories have a dedicated organization or network, and funding varies across jurisdictions.

I have to edit my comments because of your time limit, so I will jump to our recommendations.

We thank Graham Webb, who made his presentation to the House in May of 2021.

We recommend that, included in the act, the federal government fund organizations that are national in scope and resource a solid infrastructure; table amendments to the Criminal Code that would explicitly penalize elder abuse and, in doing so, consider the offence of criminal endangerment, especially with elements covering the failure to provide care where the contract for care exists; identify and implement mechanisms to protect whistle-blowers in long-term care in consultation with relevant stakeholders; and provide funding to improve training and enhance resources to facilitate investigations.

I would once again thank the chair and the committee for the time to give this presentation.

I would add a personal note that I have worked in long-term care as a registered nurse for over 40 years, so I do have some biases here.

Again, thank you to the committee.

Transcript

Discussions (0)