The Canadian government is looking at ways to give support to victims of elder abuse.
Bill C-36, which deals with the impact abuse can have on older victims because of factors such as health, was introduced in March this year.
Premier Homecare Services in Ottawa provides support to the elderly in their home and is committed to addressing cases of abuse against the elderly.
Jennifer Flynn Mackey, an employee, says the company is lucky enough to have never received a complaint of abuse from a care worker or clients, but has had issues of customers putting themselves in dangerous situations.
"We had a client who would answer the door with his cheque book," she says about an elderly man who was suffering from dementia.
Reports from Canada's Association for the Fifty Plus shows that financial abuse is the most common form of abuse against the elderly.
Carol Gilmore, co-ordinator of Seniorbusters, an Ontario-based organization that helps provide education and support to older people who have been victims of fraud, says it is common for the elderly to repeatedly fall victim to scams.
"Our statistics show that they will be more likely than other age groups to fall for fraudulent activity more than once, so it is good to have volunteers on hand to answer questions and address any concerns they may have."
Many services that older people use, such as Seniorbusters, and community services are government funded, and there have been many cut backs affecting the quality of service provided.
Activities such as reading and important tasks such as bathing, known as “nice to have services” but not necessarily essential, have been scrapped in Ottawa’s elder-care organizations.
Centretown Community Health Centre has been hit by the cutbacks and vulnerable elderly people are being given less care and support.
An educational service provided by the health centre called Senior Tea that helps educate people over 65 on subjects such as keeping warm in the winter months and giving them a social space to interact with other people has been cut.
“What goes around comes back around,” says a senior outreach nurse, who explains how depression levels in elderly care patients has gone up since these nice to have services were taken away.
“Oh yes, I have seen many cases,” she replied when asked whether she has ever seen cases of abuse in the community, but added that “it is very difficult to label abuse . . . you have to get to know the (the victim).”
With the ageing demographic set to rise to 10 million by 2036, the Ottawa Police Elder Abuse Unit expects elder abuse to become more common over the coming years.
The Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights is currently looking at Bill C-36 and the recommendations provided by CARP, a non-profit organization that promotes social change and equality for the ageing.
Recommendations include a new elder abuse hot line and an elder shelter for victims.