The Response to Elder Abuse in Alberta: Legislation and Victim Focused Services Final Report

Abstract

Addressing family violence is currently a priority for the Alberta Government. Previous efforts in this field have focused on child abuse and domestic violence; an area that is often forgotten about or ignored is elder abuse. However, as our society continues to age at an increasingly rapid pace, it is becoming more important to increase community awareness and to develop an effective response to this issue. This research project was initiated in response to a number of concerns identified by the Action Group on Elder Abuse (AGEA) in Calgary. Concerns included a general lack of knowledge of the issue, the services available, and the mechanisms by which an alleged incident can be reported. There also appears to be deficiencies in Alberta's current legislation addressing the issue.