Des actions concrètes pour renforcer la lutte contre la maltraitance matérielle et financière des personnes aînées
Back to the press releases
Government announcement
22 February 2018

Practical steps to combat material and financial elder abuse

Des actions concrètes pour renforcer la lutte contre la maltraitance matérielle et financière des personnes aînées

QUÉBEC CITY, February 22, 2018 – In order to combat financial elder abuse, the Government of Quebec is taking practical steps at the close of the forum on the material and financial mistreatment of seniors.

Francine Charbonneau, Minister responsible for Seniors and Anti-Bullying, has made two important announcements.

Over $5 million to maintain the Elder Mistreatment Helpline and assess the possibility of expanding its mandate

The Government of Quebec is granting financial assistance of $5,205,000 for the implementation and maintenance of the Elder Mistreatment Helpline to the Centre intégré universitaire de santé et de services sociaux du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal for the years 2017-18 to 2021-22.

In addition, the government will analyze the possibility of expanding the helpline’s mandate to further develop its expertise in material and financial abuse. This one-stop information service provides answers to people, workers and professionals who encounter abuse.

This toll-free phone line provides specialized listening and referral services for matters related to elder abuse, seven days a week. It also supports professionals in their work with seniors by discussing clinical and ethical aspects that they face.

A permanent advisory committee

To follow up to the forum, the government will make the advisory committee on material and financial abuse that led its preparation permanent. This committee will be entrusted with analyzing the ideas that emerged from the forum, making recommendations and suggestions, monitoring the implementation of measures to counter material and financial abuse, validating the chosen actions in their areas of expertise and ensuring that targets are on the way to being met.

The government is already in action

Minister Charbonneau also mentioned that the specific measures in the Governmental Action Plan to Counter Elder Abuse are being applied. Several will be introduced by the Autorité des marchés financiers. This organization intends to develop, write and publish tools for workers in the financial sector and provide them with training and information. It is also important to note that the Government of Quebec, in partnership with four government agencies, has established a national framework agreement to fight elder abuse. This new agreement will promote effective dialogue among all stakeholders with a view to ensuring the best intervention for people who are subject to abuse.

Quote

At the end of this day, I am convinced, more than ever, of the importance of joining forces to counter the financial abuse of seniors. Today, our discussions have shed new light on this issue and given us food for thought. I have heard and understood the concerns of our new partners in the financial, legal, governmental and social research sectors and of the agencies that are working to defend the rights and voices of the seniors who have spoken up. That’s why our government has chosen to take concrete action today to bolster the fight against elder abuse.

– Francine Charbonneau, Minister responsible for Seniors and Anti-Bullying

Key facts

  • On the occasion of this forum, nearly a hundred stakeholders from various backgrounds came together to discuss and suggest possible solutions that will guide the government’s actions to counter material and financial elder abuse in the coming years.
  • The forum’s discussions focused on three major themes:
    • Informing people about material and financial abuse and preventing it
    • Identifying material and financial abuse
    • Intervening in the case of material or financial abuse
  • The organization of this forum is one of the measures provided in the 2017-2022 Governmental Action Plan to Counter Elder Abuse, which was launched last June 15. Among the action plan’s 52 measures, 12 relate to material and financial abuse.
  • The Elder Mistreatment Helpline can be reached at 1-888-489-ABUS (2287). Since its launch in October 2010, it has answered more than 30,000 calls.
  • Of these, 29% were related to cases of financial abuse.
  • The advisory committee on material and financial abuse is made up of:
    • The Autorité des marchés financiers
    • The Antoine-Turmel Research Chair on the legal protection of seniors
    • The Chambre des notaires du Québec
    • The CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale, the Regroupement des commissaires aux plaintes et à la qualité du Québec
    • The Conférence des Tables régionales de concertation des aînés du Québec
    • The Public Curator
    • National Bank Financial
    • The Ministère de la Justice
    • The Ordre des comptables professionnels agréés du Québec
    • The Ordre des travailleurs sociaux et des thérapeutes conjugaux et familiaux du Québec

Related links