The Quebec government is allocating $50 million to a new five-year action plan to fight elder abuse.
At a news conference in Montreal on Sunday morning, Minister responsible for Seniors and Caregivers Marguerite Blais emphasized that the 2022-2027 Action Plan to Combat Elder Abuse "is a continuation of the previous plan," as it is the third action plan on this issue since 2010.
The Action Plan contains 56 measures aimed not only at raising awareness but also at specializing in the recognition of and fight against elder abuse, notably with the creation of a prosecutor position dedicated to elder abuse within the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP).
The document also provides for the implementation of an outreach support system for long-term care home (CHSLD) staff so that they can identify and report situations of abuse of residents, among other recommendations.
"With this new action plan, we are giving ourselves the means to achieve a double objective: to help every Quebecer to identify and report all forms of elder abuse and, above all, to improve our intervention methods to put an end to situations of abuse as quickly as possible," said Blais. "This is a collective responsibility as well as a duty of solidarity."
Blais said she was very happy to have made this announcement on a subject that is so dear to her heart, as she will soon turn the page on her political career, having chosen not to seek a new mandate in the October 3 elections.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 12, 2022.
