Elder Abuse

Elder abuse usually takes place where the victim lives. This is often in their own home or in the home of a relative with whom they live. It also occurs in institutions that care for the elderly. Consequently the harm is not only the physical or mental trauma that results, but also the betrayal of trust that the abuse represents. These articles address restorative responses to these issues.

Kitchener seniors’ programs get federal funding

from the article in The Record.com: The Alzheimer Society and Community Justice Initiatives were awarded federal funding for two seniors’ programs. The Alzheimer Society of Kitchener Waterloo got more than $18,000 for their Memory Fit program, which is a community based recreational program for seniors in the early stage of dementia and their care partners for peer support and social interaction.

Groh, Arlene. Restorative Justice: A Healing Approach to Elder Abuse.

Although causing physical, financial, or psychological harm to an older adult violates Canadian law, relatively few such cases are brought to the criminal justice system, largely because abusers are family members and caregivers upon whom victims depend. The Restorative Justice Approaches to Elder Abuse Project in Waterloo, Ontario, aims to decrease the fear of older victims of abuse and increase the community's ability to respond to abuse by providing a safe environment in which to address abuse in a fair and just manner for all concerned. In most cases, the project uses the "circle" process. After the screening, two facilitators are assigned to the case. One facilitator contacts the victim to hear his/her side of the case, and another facilitator contacts the alleged offender to hear his/her account of what has occurred. With permission of the two parties, facilitators may also contact supporters of the two parties. When the facilitators believe they have contacted and obtained perspectives from all of the appropriate parties, all are brought together. The circle process is structured so that all parties have an opportunity to express their feelings and ideas about how to resolve the case. Although accountability and remedies for harms caused have priority, circle guidelines ensure that the offender is not demeaned nor treated with disrespect, as the focus is on healing relationships. A formal evaluation of the project is planned. Abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov.

Murphy, Darlene and Matsuoka, Atsuko and Clarke, Antoinette. Elder Abuse and Mediation: Restorative Justice-Based Mediation

The purpose of the presentation is to explore an alternative method for addressing elder abuse and neglect. The rate of elder abuse in Canada is said to be around 4-10 percent and it is assumed that much of this has been underestimated (Justice Canada, 2003). Elder abuse and neglect threatens one’s dignity and negatively impacts healthy and successful aging. (excerpt)

Groh, Arlene. A Healing Approach to Elder Abuse and Mistreatment: The Restorative Approaches to Elder Abuse Project.

Elder abuse is often referred to as a hidden crime, writes Arlene Groh. This fact led to the development of the Restorative Justice Approaches to Elder Abuse Project in the Waterloo region of Ontario. The aim of the project is to seek a healing, safe approach to elder abuse. This document covers key elements in the development, operation, and evaluation of that project. Contents of the manual include the following: the project mission; the nature, causes, and prevalence of elder abuse; restorative justice and elder abuse; project development; integration of restorative justice into the project's approach to elder abuse; the case process; project evaluation; the future of the project; and appendices relevant to the operation of the elder abuse project.