Development of a program of research on prevention of abuse & neglect among older immigrant women

Violence against older women can include physical, emotional, financial/ material and sexual abuse, and neglect, which have serious short- and long-term physical and mental health consequences. While considerable research is emerging on the topic of elder abuse, a preliminary search of the literature showed a dearth of published Canadian health science research on elder abuse among immigrants. Immigrants represent a considerable proportion of older adults in Canada, especially in major cities such as Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal. Not only do women constitute a greater percentage of the older immigrants, older immigrant women experience various forms of abuse and neglect at disproportionate levels. Recently, various academic, community, and health sector partners have identified abuse and neglect as a pressing health challenge for older immigrant women in Canada. In the interests of addressing this significant health concern, the proposed project will address 5 interrelated objectives: 1) establish collaborative research networks and partnerships; 2) convene a symposium for knowledge sharing/exchange, identify gaps, and build consensus on the priority research directions; 3) disseminate the knowledge gained from the symposium; 4) develop a shared program of research; and 5) refine priority research questions and prepare grant applications. We will meet these objectives through a series of teleconferences, local meetings, and a two-day symposium. This project and the subsequent work will help advance knowledge of health, social and settlement workers, researchers, policymakers, educators and others committed to addressing violence against women as a global health concern.