Tomorrow is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and in a bid to help Quebec's aging population, a renewable $1.6 million plan was announced today.
The plan will help fund a 100 organizations from across the province that provide services for seniors, especially for those who live in isolation or have experienced abuse.
Marguerite Blais, Minister in charge of Seniors."The abuse of seniors is a problem that is still taboo, especially when it's financial or psychological abuse from family members," said Marguerite Blais, Quebec's minister in charge of seniors.
"We hope the extra funding will help this vulnerable population of Quebec."
An additional one-time sum of $392,135 will go towards the Quebec Network Against Elderly Abuse and the Quebec Association for the Defense of Retired Persons for the creation of a toolkit with information about resources available for seniors.
In 2009 Quebec will unveil a more complete plan called Zero Tolerance, which will offer support to seniors and raise awareness about the abuse against seniors, Blais said.
"We're working on developing the plan now to come up with solutions to the abuse so many seniors face," she added.
Nearly 10 per cent of senior citizens will experience some form of psychological, financial or physical abuse, according to Foundation Docteur Philippe-Pinel. But many cases of abuse go unreported, they say.
© The Gazette 2008
