The Figure Closer To 50% of Abused Elders Under-Reported

Regina Leader-Post - Regina,Saskatchewan,Canada

The federal secretary of state for seniors says her government will soon be making proposals to address poverty among seniors and the huge problem of elder abuse in Canada.

Senator Marjory LeBreton told a small group of seniors at Wintergreene Estates Seniors' Residence on Saturday that it's difficult to determine the scope of elder abuse because it's a taboo topic.

"There's incomplete data but what we do know is that between four and 10 per cent of people are abused, but it's way under-reported," she said. "We figure it's probably 50 per cent under-reported."

She said elder abuse includes physical assault, isolation or financial scams, sometimes at the hands of family members

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