Our Expertise

Mistreatment

This section presents the major research projects led by the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults, as well as recently developed knowledge. It includes an overview of the evolution of our work, the context in which it was realized, and a summary presentation of each project.

 

Evolution of the Chair’s work concerning the mistreatment of older adults

In 2010, The Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults was created as one of the foundational elements of the first Government Action Plan to Counter Mistreatment of Older Adults (Plan d’action gouvernemental pour contrer la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées). Its initial mandate was to ‘expand the knowledge of researchers and practitioners in the fields of prevention, detection, and intervention by developing theoretical and empirical knowledge concerning the vulnerability and risk factors of mistreatment, as well as the consequences for those who experience it.’ Renewed in 2017 with the second Government Action Plan to Counter Mistreatment of Older Adults, the Chair saw its mandate expanded to include the bullying of older adults and the concept of wellness care as a complementary approach in action to counter mistreatment. Please note that a separate section presents the work undertaken for each of these two new mandates.

In the nine years of its existence, the Chair has led over 50 research projects. Some were the beneficiaries of grants from recognized provincial, national, and international funding agencies; others were funded from the annual financial support received from the Government of Quebec. It is equally important to acknowledge the intellectual support provided by university students, in the second and third cycles of their studies (postgraduate), to the corpus of knowledge produced by the Chair since its creation.

Only on-going projects are included in this section. Click on the project title for a link to its detailed description. Completed works and student productions can be viewed under the ‘Research’ tab.

Knowledge of the mistreatment of older adults developed by the Chair

Project – Working Committee on Terminology Used in Quebec

The mandate of the Working Committee on Terminology Used in Quebec is to enrich and clarify the French terminology used in Quebec for the mistreatment of older adults so that consensus can be reached and the terminology represents the evolution of practical and scientific knowledge attained since the deployment of the Government Action Plan to Counter Mistreatment of Older Adults in 2010.

Project – Psychological and Financial Mistreatment of Older Persons with Disabilities in Quebec

Funded by the Quebec Office of Persons with Disabilities (OPHQ), this project is developed in collaboration with the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux de l’Estrie – Centre hospitalier universitaire de Sherbrooke (CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS) – the Integrated University and Health and Social Services Network of the Eastern Townships. It aims to document, in theory and in practice, the issue of the psychological and financial mistreatment of older disabled adults in the Eastern Townships region.

Project – Program to Promote ‘Living Well Together’ and Counter Resident-to-resident Mistreatment : Improving the Quality of Community Living in Private Retirement Residences

This project seeks to develop and implement a program promoting the concept of ‘living well together’ and countering resident-to-resident mistreatment in private retirement residences. The research work in the development of this intervention project follows the conclusions drawn from the project entitled ‘Improving the Quality of Community Living in Private Retirement Residences: Establish the Needs to Counter Resident-to-resident Mistreatment and Promote ‘Living Well Together’.

Project – Trajectories of Local, Intersectoral Services to Counter Mistreatment of Older Persons

Over the course of one year, this project aims to produce the trajectories of local services to counter mistreatment while developing a methodological approach that is reproducible in the diverse regions of Quebec. Research activities are taking place in the territory of the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO) – Integrated University & Health and Social Services Network – Monteregie West.

Project – Atelier 360 pour les aînés – 360 Degree Workshops for Older Adults

Les Ateliers 360 pour les aînés (360 Degree Workshops for Older Adults) uses virtual reality to raise awareness among older adults, their families and interveners of the issues of mistreatment, bullying and ageism. The end goal of Les Ateliers 360 is the development of healthy habits in interpersonal and emotional lives of older adults. The project is undertaken in collaboration with the Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation. After participating in the state of knowledge, the first version of the various scenarios, and the production of the Activity Guide, the Chair will be responsible for leading these awareness-raising activities throughout the province.

In conclusion, the Research Chair team hopes you enjoy exploring our updated website.

Wellness Care

This section includes the key projects undertaken by the Chair concerning wellness care for older adults and recently developed knowledge of this subject. It consists of an overview of the evolution of our work, the context in which it was realized, and a summary presentation of each project.

 

Evolution of Work Done by the Research Chair on Wellness Care of Older Adults

The work of the Chair concerning wellness care officially began following a consultation with the Government of Quebec’s Secrétariat aux aînés in preparation for the second  Plan d’action gouvernemental pour contrer la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées (PAM-2) (Government Action Plan to Counter Mistreatment of Older Persons), set to be deployed in 2017. At that time, wellness care was introduced as a conceptual and practical approach that complemented actions take to counter mistreatment of older persons.

The work undertaken by the Chair on this research issue falls within the scope of the 1st and 4th orientations included in the Government Action Plan to Counter Mistreatment of Older Persons (2017-2022). They are, respectively, to Prevent mistreatment and promote wellness care in the context of the fight to counter mistreatment of older adults and to Develop knowledge and improve the transfer of this information on mistreatment and wellness care. The Chair was identified as a partner in the realization of two measures in the action plan:

  • The first, Measure 8 specifically, is to ‘Promote wellness care in private retirement residences for seniors through activities and tools that raise awareness.’
  • The second, Measure 13, states, ‘ To distribute available tools and training materials concerning the mistreatment and wellness care of older adults to the education network and establishments of higher learning.’

To accomplish these measures, the Chair leads projects on wellness care in seniors’ residences through funding by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (CHRC). Through their research, university students in the 2nd and 3rd cycles of their studies equally contribute to the realization of these objectives. You can download, free-of-charge, any of the Chair’s publications on the issue of wellness care by clicking on the hyperlinks inserted in the following sections.

Knowledge developed by the Chair concerning wellness care for older adults

Project – State of knowledge concerning wellness care for older adults

Article: Wellness Care for Older Adults, a new approach of interest to social workers (Only in French)

In this article, Sarah Pomar Chiquette and Marie Beaulieu describe some of the definitions associated with wellness care for older adults, linking them to the most recent scientific knowledge on the subject. They emphasize the added value, for social workers, to include in their practice with older adults, an approach that is founded on wellness care as it conforms to their professional code of conduct.

Thesis: Wellness Care for Older Adults: a new paradigm to add to the fight against mistreatment

In 2019, under the direction of Marie Beaulieu, Sarah Pomar Chiquette completed her thesis in the Master of Social Work program at the University of Sherbrooke. Her research produced the state of knowledge concerning wellness care through a review of the scientific literature and an analysis of the management model of housing cooperatives for older adults.

Project – To Improve Community Living in Private Retirement Residences: establish the needs to counter resident-to-resident mistreatment and promote ‘living well together’

This project is led in partnership with Chartwell Retirement Residences and aims to document resident-to-resident mistreatment in private retirement residences, as well as the meaning of ‘living well together’, from the viewpoints of three, distinct groups: residents, employees and management (general managers and corporate administrators). The goal is to define their needs in the actions take to counter resident-to-resident mistreatment and the promotion of the concept of ‘living well together’.

Project – Program to Promote ‘Living Well Together’ and the Fight Against Resident-to-resident Mistreatment : To improve the quality of community living in private retirement residences.

This project aims to develop and implement a program that promotes ‘living well together’ and counter situations of resident-to-resident mistreatment. It builds on the conclusions reached in the project entitled ‘To Improve Community Living in Private Retirement Residences: establish the needs to counter resident-to-resident mistreatment and promote ‘living well together’.

Project – Atelier 360 pour les aînés – 360 Degree Workshops for Older Adults

Les Ateliers 360 pour les aînés (360 Degree Workshops for Older Adults) uses virtual reality to raise awareness among older adults, their families and interveners of the issues of mistreatment, bullying and ageism. The end goal of Les Ateliers 360 is the development of healthy habits in interpersonal and emotional lives of older adults. The project is undertaken in collaboration with the Jasmin Roy Sophie Desmarais Foundation. After participating in the state of knowledge, the first version of the various scenarios, and the production of the Activity Guide, the Chair will be responsible for leading these awareness-raising activities throughout the province.

In conclusion, the Research Chair team hopes you enjoy exploring our updated website.