6. Conclusion

The literature shows that seniors, especially those dependent on others for care, are at increased risk of experiencing abuse—such as physical, financial, psychological or emotional, or sexual abuse, as well as neglect^{Footnote 60}—at the hands of family members, intimate partners, caregivers and others.^{Footnote 61} Senior abuse remains an unspoken reality for many, with incidents rarely brought to the attention of police. Further, research suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the prevalence and severity of abuse against older adults.^{Footnote 62}

To better understand the nature and extent of senior abuse and to gain sight necessary to improve related data collection, Justice Canada collaborated with the Edmonton Police Service’s Senior Protection Unit to examine their data on, and to understand their responses to, senior abuse. Findings from the study show that senior abuse often remains a hidden phenomenon and is frequently addressed through means outside of the justice system, which ultimately impacts knowledge and prevalence estimates, particularly among Indigenous and racialized communities who may experience additional barriers in seeking help. Victims, witnesses and service providers face a number of other barriers with respect to asking for help or reporting abuse. These include logistical and institutional barriers,^{Footnote 63} emotional and moral barriers,^{Footnote 64} and a lack of awareness of the signs as well as the reporting mechanisms.^{Footnote 65} These barriers are further compounded by the various modes available of seeking help and reporting abuse outside of the police.

This case study included a total of 691 senior abuse reports, from 2015 to 2021. The data gathered showed the most commonly reported type of senior abuse was physical assault, followed by financial abuse and psychological or emotional abuse. This trend is consistent with national self-reported data obtained via the General Social Survey on Canadians’ Safety (Victimization), as well as national police data obtained via the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey. However, the complexities of senior abuse are not usually reflected in these data, as multiple types of abuse are usually involved in a case but may be unrecognized by the victim as abuse, be subtle, or difficult to prove. This further adds to the challenges in generating prevalence statistics on senior abuse that more accurately reflect their experiences.

Interviewees noted some anecdotal trends such as the increasing frequency, severity and complexity of financial abuse, and challenges with respect to powers of attorney, personal directives and other financial abuse-related claims.^{Footnote 66} Interviewees also talked about ageism and its connection to further discriminatory behaviours such as neglect, abandonment and isolation. Ageism is also a barrier for seniors to accessing protection, services and justice.^{Footnote 67}

This case study showed that very few senior abuse reports resulted in charges being laid (20%), and only 42% of those resulted in a finding of guilt; half (50%) resulted in a stay of proceedings or the charges being withdrawn. Qualitative and quantitative data from this study suggest that some traditional police performance indicators, such as the charge rate, are not appropriate measures of “success” for complex cases such as senior abuse. Though police involvement is at times necessary, charging the alleged abuser is often not what the senior victim wants.

The knowledge gathered through this case study includes limited quantitative information on the nature and outcomes of senior abuse brought to the attention of police. Additional data would be helpful in providing a more comprehensive examination of senior abuse incidents reported to police in Edmonton. This could include information onvarious victim and alleged abuser characteristics (e.g., substance use and mental health history, occupation, type of residence, ethnicity, immigration status), the nature of abuse (e.g., location of the incident, weapon involved, types of abuse involved, victim injuries), and outcomes of senior abuse incidents that did not result in a police charge being laid.

Future research could explore senior abuse incidents reported to others outside of the justice system, such as abuse occurring in long-term care homes reported to legislative bodies, as required by the Protection of Persons in Care Act in Alberta. Examining community responses to senior abuse in a northern or rural context would also be beneficial to understanding the different contexts where senior abuse may occur.

Depite its limitations, this study provides valuable qualitative information on broader community practices and approaches where various supports, services and disciplines work together to better address the needs of senior abuse victims. The findings can help guide work to improve data collection in this area and provide updated evidence to inform decision-making.