Family violence against senior citizens in Canada has surged to an all-time high, as per a recent report from Statistics Canada. The national incidence of family violence against seniors has spiked by 49% since 2018. In the previous year, the majority of senior victims of family violence were targeted by their offspring, while approximately one in four were victimized by a spouse or another relative. Across Canada, there were 7,622 senior victims of police-reported family violence in 2024.
According to Alexandra Lysova, a criminology professor at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, B.C., the escalation in elder abuse is worrisome, although the prevalence of victimization among seniors is relatively lower compared to other age groups. Despite seniors being less prone to abuse within family dynamics than younger individuals, addressing elder abuse is crucial as the population of individuals over 65 continues to grow. Cognitive decline and physical fragility are significant risk factors for older adults, making them more susceptible to abuse by family members.
Lysova highlighted various factors contributing to elder abuse, such as soaring living costs and housing unaffordability, which may hinder adult children from moving out of their parents’ homes. She emphasized that police-reported data does not encompass all instances of abuse, suggesting that reported incidents are just the surface of the problem, as many victims refrain from reporting due to underestimating the severity of the issue or feeling ashamed. Moreover, changes in how police document senior violence cases since 2018 could also fuel the reported increase.
Lysova expressed hope that future reports by StatsCan will delve deeper into violence against seniors, providing context around the incidents. In British Columbia, the Seniors First B.C. hotline for senior abuse has witnessed a notable surge in calls related to physical, financial, and emotional abuse. Marie-Noël Campbell, the executive director and staff lawyer, reported an 85% increase in calls regarding physical abuse since 2019. Campbell mentioned that the rise in violence against older adults has been persistent even before the COVID-19 pandemic, with instances ranging from rough-handling to threatening behavior.
Dan Levitt, the B.C. seniors advocate, acknowledged the growing prevalence of elder abuse, attributing it partly to societal ageism. Levitt stressed the importance of observing lifestyle changes in seniors, like alterations in diet, finances, or social interaction, which could signal potential abuse. Recognizing shifts in behavior is crucial in safeguarding seniors from abuse.
The surge in family violence against seniors in Canada is a concerning trend that experts and advocates are actively addressing to protect vulnerable elderly individuals.