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Defining and measuring elder abuse and neglect – Preparatory work for a national study of the prevalence of abuse

Themes: Co researcher

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER:

Lynn McDonald, University of Toronto

RESEARCH TEAM:

Marie Beaulieu, Ph.D., University of Sherbrooke

CHAIR PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT:

Cynthia Brunet, student and research assistant

Marie Crevier, student and research assistant

GRANTING AGENCY AND GRANT AMOUNT:

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), $497 812

PROJECT COMPLETION DATES:

From January 2010 to April 2012

ROLE OF CHAIR IN THE PROJECT:

The Chair has been actively involved at all stages of the project, and has also taken on a leadership role with respect to the work carried out in French.

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

This research project is designed as a preliminary stage to a proposed national study aimed at assessing the prevalence of elder abuse and neglect. It results from collaboration between the National Initiative for the Care of the Elderly (NICE), Westat and the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults. In this project, a questionnaire to determine the prevalence of abuse and neglect of older adults living at home and in institutions was developed in both official languages of Canada.

GOAL OF THE PROJECT OR RESEARCH QUESTION:

The goal of this project is the development and testing of a questionnaire aimed at measuring the extent of elder abuse and neglect in Canada.

OBJECTIVES:

  1. Develop clear conceptual definitions of mistreatment and neglect of older adults.
  2. Develop measurement instruments (a questionnaire for older adults living in the community and another for those living in institutions).
  3. Validate the measurement instruments.
  4. Identify the ethical considerations.
  5. Consensus development.

MEHODOLOGY:

  1. Review of the existing definitions of mistreatment, neglect and associated risk factors, using a standardized evaluation grid form.
  2. Produce an inventory of the methods used for measuring mistreatment in previous studies.
  3. Meeting of the research team in order to determine the theoretical framework of the study.
  4. Workshop bringing together experts to reach consensus with regard to the Elder abuse definition.
  5. Develop measurement instruments for measuring mistreatment among older adults at home and in institutions.
  6. Initial validation of the instruments achieved by focus groups and dyad interviews (older adult and caregiver).
  7. Revision of the instruments in light of the results from the focus groups and dyad interviews (older adult and caregiver).
  8. Holding of in-person interviews with community-dwelling older adults in order to test the questionnaire (second validation level).
  9. Revision of the instruments based on these results.
  10. Conducting telephone interviews among older adults living at home and in institutions (third validation level).
  11. Final revision of the instruments in light of these results.
  12. International workshop to conclude the project

PROJECT ADVANCEMENT:

The results were presented to the funding agency on February 29, 2012. The final report was submitted in April 2012. This study produced an inventory of all studies of the prevalence of mistreatment among older adults living at home and in institutions, an operational definition of mistreatment and of its various forms and, most importantly, a questionnaire that has been subjected to three phases of validation (cognitive validation, understanding of the questions, and validation of both methods of administration, in person and by telephone).

COMMUNICATIONS:

Hirst, S, Beaulieu, M., & Lowenstein, A. (October 5, 2013) The life course perspective as a framework for examining elder abuse. International Istanbul Initiative on Ageing. International Federation of Aging. Istanbul (Turkey).

Beaulieu, M. (June 23-27, 2013). Issues associated with multilingual and multicentric data collection in elder abuse in Canada in the Symposium Pilot study on abuse and neglect of older adults in Canada. The 20th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics: Digital Ageing: A New Horizon for Health Care and Active Ageing. (Seoul, Korea).

Lombardo, A. McDonald, L., Beaulieu, M., Biggs, S., Gutman, G., Hirst, S., Loweinstein, A., Thomas, C. (June 23-27, 2013). Defining and measuring elder abuse in Canada: Toward a national prevalence study. The 20th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics: Digital Ageing: A New Horizon for Health Care and Active Ageing. (Seoul, Korea).

Thomas, C., McDonald, L., Lowenstein, A., & Beaulieu, M. (June 23, 2013). Measuring Abuse in Institutional Settings. INPEA conference. Seoul (Korea).

Thomas, C., McDonald, L., Beaulieu, M., & Hirst, S. (November 2012). Experiencing Abuse and Feeling Abused: Experiences from the Canadian pilot study on abuse & neglect. GSA 2012. San Diego (California, USA).

Beaulieu, M. (October 19, 2012). Issues associated with multilingual and multicentric data collection. Symposium “Defining and Measuring Elder Abuse and Neglect in Canada”. 41st Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association of Gerontology. Vancouver (British Columbia, Canada).

Beaulieu, M. (October 11, 2012). Données issues de l’étude pilote pancanadienne sur la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées. Colloque international Parcours de vulnérabilité au grand âge : pratiques sociales et régulations juridiques. Brest, Bretagne (France).

Beaulieu, M. (September 28, 2012). L’ampleur de la maltraitance au Canada : une étude pilote. Groupe de recherche en droit des services financiers. Faculté de Droit, Université Laval. Québec, (Canada).

McDonald, L., & Beaulieu, M. (May 28, 2012). Precursors to a national prevalence study in Canada: Objectives and design. Journée mondiale de la lutte contre la maltraitance organise par INPEA. Prague, République Tchèque.

Beaulieu, M. (February 29, 2012). Defining and measuring the Mistreatment of Older Adults – Overview of the work conducted in French. PRD Knowledge Transfer Event. Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. Ottawa (Ontario, Canada).

Beaulieu, M., & Brunet, C. (October 21, 2011). Définir et mesurer la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées… Travaux menés en français. Séminaire de NICE Pathways to Knowledge Transfer. Ottawa (Ontario, Canada).

PUBLICATIONS:

McDonald, L., Beaulieu, M., et al. (2012). Defining and measuring elder abuse and neglect. Synthesis of Preparatory Work Required to Measure the Prevalence of Abuse and Neglect of Older Adults in Canada. Report prepared for HRSDC. 125 p.

Beaulieu, M., & Brunet, C. (2011). Définir et mesurer la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées. Travail préparatoire en vue d’une étude pancanadienne de prévalence. Résultats des entrevues téléphoniques. Collectes de données en français. Rapport remis à NICE pour une étude subventionnée par HRSDC. 26 p.

Beaulieu, M., & Brunet, C. (2011). Définir et mesurer la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées. Travail préparatoire en vue d’une étude pancanadienne de prévalence. Résultats des entrevues individuelles en face à face. Collectes de données en français. Rapport remis à NICE pour une étude subventionnée par HRSDC. 29p.

Beaulieu, M., Brunet, C., & Crevier, M. (2010). Définir et mesurer la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées. Travail préparatoire en vue d’une étude pancanadienne de prévalence. Résultats du groupe de discussion et des entrevues individuelles au sein d’une dyade aîné et proche aidant. Collectes de données en français. Rapport remis à NICE pour une étude subventionnée par HRSDC. 79 p.