The Chair welcomes the first statistical report on the mistreatment of older Québec adults living at home (Novembre 2020)

On October 28, 2020, the Institut de la statistique du Québec made public a research report entitled l’Enquête sur la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées vivant à domicile (2017-2020) (Available in French only) (Survey on the Mistreatment of Older Québec Adults Living at Home, 2017-2020). Over the last three years, Chairholder Marie Beaulieu has contributed to the intersectorial work leading to this first statistical portrait of the mistreatment of older Québec adults living at home.

The completion of the 42^nd measure of the Government Action Plan to Counter the Mistreatment of Older Adults 2017-2022 determined:

• That 5.9% of the older adults who responded to the questionnaire reported experiencing mistreatment within the past 12 months;
• That psychological mistreatment was the most frequently reported (4.6%), followed by physical mistreatment (0.8%), material or financial mistreatment (0.8%), sexual mistreatment (0.4%), and neglect (0.4%);
• That there is a significant difference between the sexes in the overall prevalence of mistreatment (7.4% of women and 4.2% of men) and the prevalence of psychological mistreatment (5.7% of women and 3.3% of men).

According to Bertrand Perron, Director of Social and Health Statistics, this publication: ‘…presents unprecedented data on the prevalence of the five types of mistreatment (negligence, physical, psychological, financial or material, and sexual mistreatment) committed against adults 65 years or older.

It also reports on the factors associated with mistreatment, characteristics of instigators, and the actions taken by older adults after experiencing mistreatment.’

In total, 8,860 persons 65 years + living at home and capable of answering the questions themselves participated in this statistical report compiled between February and June 2019.

Good reading!