Material and financial mistreatment of the elderly
Did you know that financial or material abuse is one of the types of abuse most often reported to the Elder Abuse Help Line.
There is material or financial abuse when there is “fraudulent, illegal, unauthorized or dishonest obtaining or use of the person’s property or legal documents, lack of financial or legal information or misinformation”.
Material or financial abuse can manifest itself as violence * or as neglect **.
Several clues can lead to the suspicion of material or financial abuse such as : “unusual banking transactions, disappearance of valuables, lack of money for current expenses, limited access information on the management of the person’s property, etc. “
* Pressure to modify a will, banking transaction without consent (use of a bank card, internet transactions, etc.), embezzlement of funds or goods, excessive price charged for services rendered, identity theft, etc. .
** Fail to manage property in the best interests of the individual or provide necessary property when in charge; don’t question a person’s suitability, financial understanding or literacy, etc.
Mandated by the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS), the Integrated University Health and Social Services Center of Center-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal (CIUSSS CODIM), through the Center for Research in Social Gerontology (CREGÉS), has developed, in collaboration with the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), training intended for people working in the financial sector.
This training aims to make learners aware of the issues of mistreatment and to equip them to support their senior clientele in a situation of mistreatment or at risk of being so.
A ONE-STOP SHOP TO SUPPORT THE FINANCIAL COMMUNITY IN SITUATIONS OF SENIOR ABUSE
The Elder Abuse Help Line becomes a one-stop shop for the financial sector and offers its professional consultation service to anyone in the financial sector working with a clientele aged 50 or over.
The service is available every day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Call us at 1-888-489-2287 or fill in the professional consultation request form on our website for make an appointment.
SPECIFIC ASSISTANCE RESOURCES FOR SENIOR ABUSE FOR THE FINANCIAL INDUSTRY
List of available help resources and services
Services available at all times, everywhere in Quebec
| Emergency services
9-1-1 |
Police, ambulance and fire services: to contact when the health or safety of a person is compromised | 9-1-1 |
| Info-Social | Free telephone intervention service to quickly reach a psychosocial worker in the region | 8-1-1 (option 2) |
| Info-Santé | Free telephone consultation service to reach a nurse, concerning a health problem (not urgent). | 8-1-1 (option 1) |
| Center for Suicide Prevention | Free support services for suicidal people, loved ones, people bereaved by suicide and caregivers. | 1-866-APPELLE
(1-866-277-3553) |
Suspected mistreatment situation (for the senior)
| Elder Abuse Help Line | Provincial helpline and referral specializing in elder abuse. Toll free, confidential and bilingual (interpretation services available for languages other than French and English). | 1-888-489-ABUS
(1-888-489-2287) |
| CDPDJ
Human Rights and Youth Rights Commission |
Organization that aims to defend the rights of individuals under the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms Particularly related to exploitation. Article 48 . Free and confidential services. | 1-800-361-6477 |
| CLSC
Local Community Service Center |
Front-line health and social services, free, which aim to support the person for the improvement of the state of health and well-being of citizens. | Depending on your region |
| CPQS
CISSS and CIUSSS Complaints and Service Quality Commissioner |
Services for receiving and processing user complaints relating to services provided within the framework of the health and social services network. They also receive reports of abuse | Depending on your region |
| CAAP
Assistance Center and support for complaints |
Free assistance and support services for people who wish to file a complaint with a health and social services establishment. | 1-877-767-2227 |
For financial fraud situations
| Municipal police or Sûreté du Québec | Services for receiving and handling complaints related to fraud, extortion or identity theft. | Depending on your region |
| Canadian Anti-Fraud Center | Central body that collects criminal intelligence and information on Canadian fraud complaints. | 1-888-495-8501 |
| Autorité des marchés financiers | Support and protection services: filing a complaint about a representative or a financial services company; reporting fraud. | 1-877-525-0337 |
| Office de la protection du consommateur | Information and complaints reception services relating to a product or service purchased. | 1-888-672-2556 |
| Transunion Canada | Credit bureau which offers a fraud victim assistance service (SAVF): credit monitoring products. | 1-877-525-3823 |
Autres Ressources
In case of incapacity
| Curateur public du Québec | Organization which aims to ensure the protection of incapacitated persons, the safeguard of their autonomy and the respect of their rights.
Register of protection regimes: https://www.curateur.gouv.qc.ca/registres/fr/criteres.jsp |
1-800-363-9020 |
In the event of a dispute in a private seniors' residence
| Federation of Complaints Assistance and Support Centers | Since April 1, 2019, the regional assistance and support centers can offer people living in private seniors’ residences assistance and support services to help them settle their lease disputes. | 1-877-767-2227 |
Community organizations specializing in the fight against mistreatment
| Some community organizations have the main mission of acting against mistreatment of seniors. However, this type of organization is not found in all regions of Quebec.
& nbsp; To find out about organizations in your region, you can contact the Elder Abuse Help Line |
Line Help Abuse Seniors
1-888-489-ABUS & nbsp; (1-888-489-2287) |
ACEF cooperative family economy association Contact details of ACEF du Québec – ACEF Estrie
& nbsp; |
|
| AQDR Quebec association for the defense of the rights of retirees: regional aqdr can support seniors in various procedures related to their rights. Helping seniors program. |
You can consult the Reference guide to counter the elder abuse on the MSSS website. You will find reading profiles for the various stakeholders including those in the financial world.
You can also consult the Practical guide for the financial services industry produced by Autorité des marchés financiers
