OWN has been concerned about the lack of public awareness, professional sensitivity and gaps in services in the area of abuse of older women.  With funding from the Seniors' Secretariat, provided through the Ontario Women's Directorate's Violence Against Women Prevention Initiative, OWN undertook this study with the following objectives:

To determine the priority needs and service gaps for abused older women.

To review the existing shelter services and their current capacity for serving abused older women.

To identify the types of changes that are required to existing shelter services.

To recommend feasible ways of implementing  changes in existing shelters including who should be responsible.

To recommend some relevant options to meet the identified needs of older women, including alternatives to shelter accommodation.

The currently accepted national incidence rate of elder abuse is 4%.  At this rate, there are approximately 31,100 women over the age of 65 in Ontario currently experiencing abuse.  Financial abuse accounts for 62.5% of the abuse, while chronic verbal aggression accounts for 35%, physical abuse accounts for 12.5% and neglect 10%.  

The purpose of this study was not to examine the extent or types of abuse that older women experience.  Rather, its purpose was to determine the types of supports or services they need to be safe and the specific role that existing shelters might play.

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