If you know of an Ontario senior who is being victimized by any one of these criminal actions, please call your local police agency or CRIME STOPPERS at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
While it is not a good idea to jump to conclusions, the signs and symptoms listed below should not be ignored.
Possible Signs of Elder Abuse:
- Unexplained injuries
- Fear, uneasiness
- Depression
- Withdrawal or passivity
- Poor hygiene
- Poor nutrition
- Missing personal belongings
- Lack of food, clothing or other necessities
- Unusual bank withdrawals
- Unusual legal activity related to wills or other documents
Physical Abuse
Is the use of physical force that causes pain, discomfort or injury or that is excessive and/or inappropriate in the circumstance or (b) inappropriately administering or withholding of medication.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Overmedicating, withholding necessary medications
- Inappropriate use of a restraint
- Rough handling, shaking
- Pushing, pulling
- Slapping, hitting
- Kicking, pinching, beating, twisting
- Overmedicating, withholding necessary medications
- Inappropriate restraint use
Possible indicators:
- Unexplained injuries
- Unexplained bruising, burn marks
- Unexplained “accidents”
- Unkempt appearance
- Signs of under/over medicated
Criminal Code Offences – Physical Abuse:
- Assault (Sec 265 C.C.)
- Assault with a Weapon or Causing Bodily Harm (Sec. 267 C.C.)
- Aggravated Assault (Sec. 268 C.C.)
- Sexual Assault With a Weapon, Threats to a Third Party or Causing Bodily Harm (Sec. 272 C.C.)
- Aggravated Sexual Assault (Sec. 273 C.C.)
- Forcible Confinement (Sec. 279 C.C.)
- Murder (Sec. 229 C.C.)
- Manslaughter (Sec 234 C.C.)
Financial Abuse
Any theft or misuse of money or property which include: household goods, clothes, jewelry, withholding funds and/or fraud.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Theft of money or belongings
- Forcing a person to sell possessions
- Wrongful use of power of attorney
- Forcing someone to change his/her will and/or power of attorney
- Fraud
Possible indicators:
- Unexplained or inability to pay bills
- Refusal to spend money without “permission”
- Unexplained disappearance of personal belongings
- Changed Power of Attorney or Will
- Not spending money
- Large unexplained withdrawal from bank account
Criminal Code Offences – Financial Abuse:
- Theft (Sec. 322 C.C.)
- Theft by Holding Power of Attorney (Sec. 331 C.C.)
- Stopping Mail with Intent (Sec. 345 C.C.)
- Extortion (Sec. 346 C.C.)
- Forgery (Sec. 366 C.C.)
- Fraud (Sec. 380 C.C.)
Emotional Abuse
Any action or behavior that may diminish a senior’s sense of well-being, dignity or self- worth.
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- Failure to treat a senior as an adult
- Making decisions for a senior unnecessarily
- Talking in a tone that suggests the senior is a child
- Talking about the senior that suggests he or she is not part of the conversation
- Threatening, insulting, intimidating or humiliating gestures, behavior or remark Imposed social isolation including: shunning, ignoring, lack of acknowledgement
Possible Indicators:
- Depression
- Tearfulness
- Exclusion from family gatherings
- No visitors/ outings
- Low self-esteem
- Withdrawn
- Psychological/emotional complaints
Criminal Code Offences – Emotional Abuse:
- Intimidation (Sec 423 C.C.)
- Uttering Threats (Sec 264.1 C.C.)
- Harassing Telephone Calls (Sec. 372.3 C.C.)
Verbal Abuse
Any form of verbal communication of a belittling or degrading nature which may diminish the senior’s sense of well-being, dignity or self-worth.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Shouting
- Inappropriate tone of voice or manner of speaking which is upsetting or frightening
- Any form of verbal communication of a belittling or degrading nature which may diminish the senior’s sense of well-being, dignity or self-worth.
- Sarcasm, mocking
Possible indicators:
- Witnessed or overheard confrontational or inappropriate language and tone of voice
- Depression
- Tearfulness
- Fearfulness
- Exclusion from family gatherings, no visitors/ outings
- Low self-esteem
- Withdrawn
- Psychosomatic complaints
Criminal Code Offences – Verbal Abuse:
- Intimidation (Sec 423 C.C.)
- Uttering Threats (Sec 264.1 C.C.)
- Harassing Telephone Calls (Sec. 372.3 C.C.)
Sexual Abuse
Any non-consensual touching, behaviour or remarks of a sexual nature or sexual exploitation directed towards an older adult by any other person.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Sexual touching, fondling
- Sexual assault
- Inappropriate sexual language or joking of a sexual nature that is demeaning
- Seductive language or acts
- Suggestive comments
- Humiliating comments or behaviour of a sexual nature
Possible Indicators:
- Genital infections
- Frequent urinary tract infections
- Pain, bruising, bleeding in genital area
- Emotional indicator including withdrawal, depression, fear, tearfulness
Criminal Code Offences – Sexual Abuse:
- Sexual Assault with a weapon, causing bodily harm (Sec. 272 C.C.)
- Aggravated Sexual Assault (Sec. 273 C.C.)
Neglect
The failure to provide a senior with the care and assistance required for health, safety or well-being, and includes inaction or a pattern of inaction that jeopardizes the health or safety of that person.
Examples include but are not limited to:
- Failure to provide medical attention
- Failure to listen and respond to expressed needs or concerns
- Failure to provide proper nourishment and fluids
- Failure to change incontinent residents or respond to calls for assistance
- Failure to facilitate participation in activities and programs and other forms of socialization
Possible Indicators:
- Failure to thrive
- Malnourished, Dehydrated
- Poor Living Conditions
- Odor
- Incontinence Products not Changed
- Under/ over medicated
Criminal Code Offences – Active Neglect:
- Failure to provide the necessaries of Life (Sec 215 C.C)
- Criminal negligence causing bodily harm or death (Sec. 220, 21 C.C.)
