Cops heighten fight against elder abuse
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Ottawa seniors have been bilked of their life savings, lost their homes, been locked outside in sub-zero temperatures and shown up in hospital emergency rooms with bruises.
And Ottawa police expect to see more such cases of elder abuse as the population ages.
A police unit dedicated to investigating complaints of elder abuse is busier than ever although such crimes are believed to be vastly under-reported.
“It’s only through education that we can try and control this,” said Const. Isabelle Coady, who deals with several calls each week as part of the Ottawa police elder abuse unit.
“It’s not going to stop. If anything, it’s going to increase.
Seniors may be afraid to call police for fear of being moved to a care home, or implicating family members or lack the capacity to realize they are being victimized.
The elderly may not want to become embroiled in court proceedings and suffer in silence but the government is pushing for tougher consequences for those who abuse the vulnerable.
A proposal for tougher sentences for elder abuse convictions is being welcomed by senior advocacy groups, although some say more work needs to be done.
The Canadian Association of Retired Persons says the recent introduction of a bill to increase sentencing for elder abusers is a step in the right direction but calls on provincial governments to also increase resources to investigate and support victims of elder abuse.
The Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse also applauds the “much-needed” move toward elder abuse awareness but urges officials to also ensure prevention initiatives are there.
In Ottawa, reports of suspected elder abuse have come from family members, neighbours, social workers, medical personnel and anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers.
Many files officers deal with relate to financial abuse, the most commonly reported type in the country but other incidents include physical or emotional abuse and neglect.
“People lose their life savings, they’ll lose their house,” said Coady. “They’ll live in terrible poverty where their money is being spent by somebody else.”
Police reported nearly 8,000 seniors were victims of violent crime in 2009, according to federal data, with 35% committed by a family member.
Another 35% of those reported crimes was committed by a friend or acquaintance, while 29% was by a stranger.
The proposed legislation would reflect the significant impact on the victims due to their age, with health, financial and other circumstances considered aggravating factors in sentencing.
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