National program aims at preventing abuse, neglect

March 2006- The University of Toronto (Institute for Life Course and Aging) is proud to announce the launch of a two-year national project that will identify promising Canadian approaches to assuring that older persons who live in congregate settings are well treated.

A Way Forward: Promoting Promising Approaches to Abuse Prevention in Institutional Settings is made possible with the financial support of the Public Health Agency's national Population Health Fund.

Twenty to 30 per cent of Canadian seniors will spend the last years of their lives in congregate facilities that provide support and assistance. Many facility administrators, their staff and volunteers across Canada provide high quality care and support on a daily basis.

However, some older adults receiving care and support are not as fortunate. Abuse and neglect of older people who live in congregate settings is increasingly being acknowledged by the community and researchers in the field of aging as an under-recognized and important health and social issue. At present there is little awareness of what is being done and what can be done to prevent and address these harms in the wide range of congregate settings that provide support and assistance to frail seniors in Canada .

A Way Forward will identify the current state of law, policy, and practice through a national snapshot of where thing currently stand. It will also be holding five regional information exchange forums on emerging practices in 2006-2007.

The project aims to enhance the capacity of communities across Canada to better understand and respond to the complex issues of abuse and neglect in for-profit, not-for-profit, and publicly funded congregate settings, such as personal care homes, assisted living, retirement communities, nursing homes, and “campuses of care.”

Concerned Friends is pleased to have a representative on the Advisory Board of this project.

Board of Directors