Awareness and Perceptions of Elder Abuse with Specific Attention to Financial Abuse – Survey Component

EKOS RESEARCH ASSOCIATES

Ottawa Office
359 Kent Street, Suite 300
Ottawa, Ontario
K2P 0R6
Tel: (613) 235 7215
Fax: (613) 235 8498
E-mail: pobox@ekos.com

Toronto Office
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Toronto, Ontario  M5G 1V2
Tel: (416) 598 8002
Fax: (416) 598 2543
E-mail: toronto@ekos.com

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Background and Methodology

In May 2007 the Government of Canada created a National Seniors Council to give advice to Government on matters of national importance to seniors. One of the first areas identified by this group was combating elder abuse. In the Speech from the Throne delivered that fall, the Government announced its intention to address elder abuse. Budget 2008 committed $13 million over three years to help seniors and others to recognize the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and to provide information on what support is available. Justice Canada retained EKOS Research Associates to conduct public opinion research (i.e., a telephone survey) on the Canadian public’s awareness and perceptions of elder abuse with specific attention to financial abuse. The research was directed toward the general population as opposed to a targeted sub-sample of the population (such as seniors) for several reasons:

1. the focus is on raising awareness of all Canadians;
2. perpetrators of elder abuse are not always seniors themselves, nor are those who can assist seniors at risk; and
3. research seems to suggest that abuse does not always occur when seniors are isolated, and so it is important to pursue a wider awareness of the issue.

The study involved a 20-minute telephone survey with 3,002 respondents drawn from the general Canadian population. Respondents were 18 years of age and older, and were randomly selected (through random digit dialling). All provinces were sampled, and the survey was administered in both English and French.

Awareness and Perceptions of Elder Abuse

As a way of establishing the context for the remainder of the survey, respondents were first asked whether or not they had heard the term “elder abuse”. Overall, more than eight in ten Canadians (82 per cent) say they are aware of the term, while fewer than one in five (18 per cent) said they had not heard of the term prior to the survey.

The survey went on to examine perceptions of the abuse of seniors. Respondents were asked to name, without prompting, the kinds of abuse they believe seniors might experience.[1] Physical abuse (e.g., hitting, spitting on) tops the list (mentioned by 49 per cent of respondents), followed by neglect (44 per cent), and emotional/psychological/verbal abuse (38 per cent). Financial abuse (e.g., forging a senior’s signature) is also mentioned by a sizable proportion of the Canadian public (21 per cent).

In addition to naming the various kinds of abuse seniors may experience, respondents were asked to select (from a list) the type of abuse that they think is most commonly and least commonly experienced by seniors. The list included the following types of abuse: physical abuse, financial abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect. When presented with these options, neglect is chosen as the most common type of abuse (36 per cent), followed by psychological/emotional abuse (26 per cent), and financial abuse (23 per cent). About one in ten (12 per cent) thinks physical abuse is the most common type of abuse perpetrated against seniors, and only one per cent picks sexual abuse as the most common form of elder abuse.

Using the same list, Canadians were also asked to name the type of elder abuse that they believe is least likely to occur. Given that it is ranked last in the hierarchy of most common forms of abuse, it is not unexpected to find sexual abuse at the top of the list of the least common types of abuse. In fact, Canadians overwhelmingly select sexual abuse as the least common form of abuse experienced by seniors (chosen by 75 per cent of respondents). All other forms of abuse are chosen as the least common by fewer than one in ten respondents.

When asked, unprompted, to consider the types of financial abuse that could be experienced by seniors, Canadians are able to generate a sizable list of potential abuses. At the top of the list were misusing a power of attorney for personal gain (mentioned by 22 per cent of respondents), and pressuring a senior to give money (19 per cent). Using a credit card or bank card without their knowledge, and telemarketing and letter scams were also seen as fairly common forms of financial abuse (16 per cent each).

Perceived Perpetrators of Elder Abuse

According to the latest police-reported data, seniors are most likely to be victimized by someone they know.[2] Results from this survey seem to reflect this finding. Indeed, when asked, without prompting, who they pictured as being responsible for elder abuse, very few think of someone who is not at least acquainted with the senior (only eight per cent say “stranger”). Overall, two main categories of perpetrators come to mind: a family member other than a spouse (62 per cent) and paid caregivers in institutions (46 per cent).

Respondents were also asked to select (from a list) the category of people they think are most and least likely to abuse a senior. The list included the following categories of individuals: spouse, family member (not including a spouse), friend, neighbour, paid caregiver, service professional[3] and stranger. Similar to the results of the open-ended exercise, family members other than spouses are selected most frequently (42 per cent), followed by paid caregivers (29 per cent). A few others selected stranger (ten per cent), spouse (seven per cent), or service professional (six per cent) as the most likely culprits. Almost no one names a friend or neighbour (one per cent each) as being the most likely to abuse a senior.

Using the same list, Canadians were also asked to name the category of individual that they believe is least likely to abuse a senior. Given that they are rated as the groups most likely to engage in elder abuse, it is not unexpected to find that very few name another family member (ten per cent) or a paid caregiver (six per cent) as the individuals least likely to abuse a senior. Instead, Canadians are most likely to consider a spouse (26 per cent) to be the least likely to engage in this activity – even though recent police data suggests that spouses are among the groups more likely to be involved in the victimization of seniors.[4] Another one in six (17 per cent) felt that a stranger is the leastlikely culprit. All other categories of individuals are considered the least likely to abuse a senior by about one in ten respondents (15 per cent service professionals, 12 per cent friends, and ten per cent neighbours).

Referring to the same list of individuals, respondents were asked to name who they thought would be the most and least likely to financially abuse a senior. In this context, a family member (not including a spouse) is once again named as the most probable perpetrator (61 per cent). Unlike elder abuse in general, however, no other category of individual is considered a likely threat by a significant proportion of the population (i.e., the category of family members is selected over even its closest rival, strangers, by a margin of more than five to one). Indeed, no other category is named by more than about one in ten Canadians.

Perceptions of Seniors Versus Elders

The survey also examined broader perceptions of what it means to be a “senior” versus an “elder” in Canadian society, and whether these definitions influence perceptions of this increasingly important age demographic.

Respondents were asked at what age they consider a person becomes a senior. A majority of respondents (57 per cent) feel that one becomes a senior at age 65, in alignment with the Statistics Canada definition,[5] as well as the generally accepted age of retirement. However, one in four (24 per cent) believe that a person is a senior before the age of 65, while roughly one in ten (11 per cent) put the age at 75 or older.

Respondents were then asked if using the term “elder” instead of “senior” would change their response about age threshold. The majority of respondents (58 per cent) say there would be no change, however, almost four in ten (38 per cent) say it would affect their answer.

Respondents who said the term “elder” would change their answer to the previous question were then asked to specify the age at which they think a person becomes an elder. Interestingly, results for this question skewed slightly older than the results for the previous question about seniors: more than one-third of these respondents (34 per cent) put the age at 75 and above (compared to 11 per cent when asked about seniors).

Respondents were then asked, unprompted, to describe the differences between a senior and an elder. In keeping with the results of the earlier questions, a plurality of respondents (37 per cent) sees no difference between the two. Among those who do see a difference, results reveal mixed/negative views of elders relative to seniors. About one in ten associate a lack of autonomy (12 per cent) and physical limitations (11 per cent) with being an elder. Other respondents were more neutral in their assessments: 21 percent characterize the difference as one of age only (i.e., senior is an age distinction (six per cent), elder is an age distinction (six per cent), elder is older than a senior (six per cent), or a question of age (three per cent)). Some respondents offered a more positive view of elders: nine per cent see elders as being respected and experienced individuals.

Sources of Information About Financial Abuse of Seniors

The survey also examined potential and preferred sources of information on the financial abuse of seniors.

Respondents were asked to name – without prompting – the sources they would turn to get information about the financial abuse of seniors. The answers provided covered a broad range of resources. One in five (20 per cent) say they would go to the Internet for information about financial abuse of seniors, one in six (17 per cent) cite the government as their primary information source, and 16 per cent mentioned the police. One in four respondents (23 per cent) would seek advice from some kind of professional (e.g., doctor (six per cent), lawyer (six per cent), financial advisor (five per cent), or social worker (six per cent)), while ten per cent indicated they would turn to community-based organizations for help.

In addition to asking Canadians about the different sources they would consider consulting for information on the financial abuse of seniors, respondents were also asked (from a list of options) their preferred format in seeking this type of information. A majority of Canadians overall (55 per cent) prefer to access such information online, although this drops to only four in ten (39 per cent) of those 65 and over. About one in six (16 per cent) selected face-to-face presentations or seminars as their preferred method to find information about the abuse of seniors, and one in five cited media as a preferred delivery method (12 per cent for television and eight per cent for newspapers).

Profile of Caregivers

In addition to gathering views on elder abuse, the survey also sought to develop a profile of individuals responsible for caring for elderly persons (age 65 or older). Respondents were asked if they currently provide care to an elderly household member who is 65 years of age or older. An overwhelming majority (93 per cent) say they are not caring for an elderly household member, while six percent of respondents say that they are.

Respondents who said they currently provide care for an elderly household member were asked how many hours of care per week they provide. One in five (21 per cent) spend less than five hours per week caring for an elderly household member, however, a large proportion of these respondents say they spend five to ten hours per week (39 per cent), or 11 hours or more (40 per cent) providing care for an elder in their home.

Respondents were also asked to specify the nature of the relationship they have with the elder to whom they are providing care. Just over half of these respondents (53 per cent) indicate they are caring for a parent (their own or their spouse’s), and about one in eight are caring for a grandparent (13 per cent), or for their spouse/partner (13 per cent).

Respondents were also asked if they currently provide care to an elderly family member (aged 65 years or older) who is not living in their household. Results suggest that Canadians are more likely to be providing care for an elderly person outside of the home rather than in their home (14 per cent vs. six per cent inside the home). Nonetheless, a clear majority of respondents (84 per cent) say they are not providing care for an elderly family member outside their home.

Respondents who said they currently provide care for an elderly family member outside their household were asked how many hours of care per week they provide. Results suggest that a majority of these respondents (51 per cent) spend less than five hours per week providing care to an elderly family member outside their home, however, others spend a fairly significant portion of their time caring for an elderly family member living outside their home: 36 per cent say they provide between five and ten hours per week, and 13 per cent devote 11 hours or more per week caring for an elder who does not reside with them.

These respondents were also asked to specify the nature of the relationship they have with the elder to whom they are providing care. The majority (60 per cent) indicate they are caring for a parent (their own or their spouse’s), while one in five (19 per cent) are caring for a grandparent.

Study findings are described in more detail in the remainder of this report.

Supplier Name: EKOS Research Associates
PWGSC Contract Number: #19040-080201/001/CY - Amend.#002
Contract Award Date: 15/12/2008

To obtain more information on this study, please e-mail por-rop@justice.gc.ca

[1]   Before answering this question, respondents were first reminded that some elderly people live in institutions (e.g., nursing homes, senior’s residences), while others live in the community either on their own or with family or friends.

[2]   This information is drawn from the 2004 Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR2) Survey. See the Statistics Canada publication, Seniors as Victims of Crime 2004 and 2005, for more information.

[3] For example, lawyer, banker, insurance representative, doctor etc.

[4]   See the Statistics Canada publication, Seniors as Victims of Crime 2004 and 2005, for more information.

[5]   Statistics Canada, Overview 2007. http://www41.statcan.gc.ca/2007/70000/ceb70000_000-eng.htm