Marie Beaulieu finishes her mandate as Chairholder of the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults
On October 31, 2022, the Chair will have completed 12 years of work (2 mandates of 5 years, interspersed by an extension of 2 years). It is with great emotion and a sense of accomplishment that Marie Beaulieu announces her departure as Chairholder on November 1st, 2022. Two months later, being on January 1st, 2023, she will transition to retirement, a moment that her European colleagues poetically call “free time”. This will be a pivotal point after more than 35 years of involvement in countering mistreatment, with more than 30 years as a university professor.
Marie Beaulieu wants to emphasize her immense appreciation to all actors who accompanied her in her responsibilities as Chairholder. First, thank you to all of the ministers who worked alongside her: Marguerite Blais 2 times, Réjean Hébert and Francine Charbonneau. A special thought for Marguerite Blais whom, in 2008, wanted to open the worksite to counter mistreatment and make it a priority in Quebec. Thank you to all the different managements and professionals of the Secrétariat aux aînés du ministère de la santé et des services sociaux. These committed persons allowed a collaborative work of exchange between research, the development of public policies and the actors in the field. And a special salutation to the many actors in the field that ensured that the development work for countering mistreatment in Quebec advances in a concerted way: the regional coordinators on countering mistreatment of older adults, the Elder Mistreatment Helpline, the area of expertise on countering mistreatment of the CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest de Montréal, the Complaint and quality of services Commissioners, the police services, many community organizations including DIRA-Estrie, etc. (The list is too long to name all of them). A goodbye to the colleagues of the World Health Organization, of the different national and international networks on countering mistreatment, to the researchers from here and elsewhere with whom it was so pleasant to work with. Finally, my gratitude to the professionals and students who, by passing through and their commitment have left a mark on the life of the Chair. Because you have shared my passion for the well-being of older adults, each of you have left a mark, your legacy and opened a specific chapter on countering mistreatment and promoting wellness care. I will dearly miss these dialogical spaces and these intergenerational bonds.
As part of the Governmental Action Plan to Counter Mistreatment of Older Adults 2022-2027, a prolongation of the Chair was announced. A professor and researcher will take office as Chairholder on November 1st, 2022. Her name will soon be unveiled by the concerned bodies. Marie Beaulieu welcomes the arrival of this highly qualified person to manage the Chair and wishes her as much joy as she had.