The abuse of older people is a serious and harmful problem that nonetheless has remained a low global priority in research, investment, and action to address it. However, Marie Beaulieu’s work and leadership in the area as Chairholder of the Research Chair on Elder Abuse at the University of Sherbrooke (Canada) has been one of few exemplary exceptions to this trend. Throughout her 35-year career, Marie Beaulieu has been a pioneer who has contributed to bringing the often-sensitive issue of the abuse of older people to the forefront of organizational and governmental priorities in the field of ageing, and her commitment to knowledge transfer and translation in the topic has contributed to consistent advances in the area.
In part, the impact of Marie Beaulieu’s research reflects her awareness that it is only work that brings together not only academics but also civil society organisations; government; and older people, their families, and communities that has the capacity to generate real change to address the abuse of older people. Her work has aimed to generate evidence-based tools and place them in the hands of the actors who can contribute to combatting the abuse of older people. Hence, available free of charge on Marie Beaulieu’s Research Chair website is a series of guides and advocacy publications on the abuse of older people, and she is also actively involved in the training of practitioners such as the Quebec Police to detect and respond to the abuse of older people.
At a local level, Marie Beaulieu has contributed her expertise to the development of policies in Quebec: in 2008 to 2010, to the production of a public policy on mistreatment of older persons; in 2017 and 2022 for 2 other public policies on the mistreatment of older adults; and in 2017 for the development of a law on mandatory reporting of abuse and neglect of older persons. Her local leadership has led to her being invited to contribute to the National Council on Ageing of Canada, and to the United Nations through the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA).
The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing is our opportunity to foster healthy ageing across all areas and issues – including through addressing the abuse of older people. The trailblazing work of experts like Marie Beaulieu form a foundation to ensure that we leave no one, and no subject, behind during our next 10 years of collaborative work.