It's time to start
a conversation about elder abuse.

This first-of-its-kind book undertakes the uncomfortable conversation that so many are unwilling to have — that elder abuse is widespread and very real.

Elder Abuse: You Have a Role to Play helps readers recognize elder abuse in its early stages before the damage is irreparable. John E. Johnson, a retired lawyer, and Sabby Duthie, a former retirement-home owner, share real stories from families of different generations and backgrounds. Combined with reliable statistics, the result is chilling evidence that elder abuse exists in every facet of our senior citizens’ lives. The stories shared in this book encompass every level of contact, including doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, family members, social workers, and the frontline workers at both retirement homes and long-term care centres. An easy read for such a difficult subject, this must-read book encourages us to have the conversation respectfully and lovingly to ensure that our loved ones know they have a right to live free of abuse. 

Support the fight against elder abuse

All net proceeds of the sale of each book will be distributed by BridgeGen Canada Centre, a non-profit organization, to groups supporting the fight against ageism and elder abuse in Canada. 

Get your copy today and support the fight! Available in paperback and Kindle e-book formats.

Testimonials

We are grateful for the support and testimonials we’ve received, and even more grateful for the willingness of people to engage in the conversation on elder abuse. 

"This book builds awareness about the many forms of elder abuse and is an excellent resource. You will read it more than once and you'll want to share it with your friends and family. The authors write for multiple audiences and with different perspectives. Research and first-hand experience anchor this book, and it's filled with concrete suggestions and resources. The storytelling approach is thought-provoking and compels the reader to recognize elder abuse and also to take action to prevent it or to end it. It is both required reading and a good read. "
Tracy Murphy
Certified Health Executive
“The book is well-written and easy to read (unlike many of the academic papers I read/review). The real stories explain the issue and make it come alive. I think this book should be read by lay people and professional. As you say, we all have a role to play in preventing and addressing the mistreatment of older persons."
Peggy Edwards
Health Promotions Consultant

We are available for speaking engagements, including webinars, podcasts, seminars and other events and interviews. Contact us for bookings, and let’s open up a conversation on elder abuse.

Elder Abuse You Have a Role to Play Book

About the authors

John E. Johnson Elder Abuse Author

As a lawyer, I had been introduced to the area of elder abuse by a great number of my clients whose senior relatives were being physically and psychologically abused by other members of their own family, mainly with the object of taking their property. 

Today I am a bona fide senior citizen over the age of 70 years, which makes me a baby boomer. It also magnifies the problem of elder abuse because there are more people who are 65 years of age than there are 15-year-olds in Canada. With the wisdom gained from my experience with elder abuse, I have been blessed with an education not available elsewhere. This enabled the successful resolution of the cases I presented for abused seniors in the courts, so I feel qualified in saying that the solution lies with the early recognition of the abuse and early intervention between the abuser and the victim of the abuse. 

That is what this book is about. You will see a review of all the types of abuse, including useful statistics, a roadmap to recognition at a very early stage, and early involvement with the least embarrassment to the victim of elder abuse. 

While writing this book, I thought about the indigenous community and any objection they might have to the use of the word “elder” in elder abuse. It could be misconstrued with their use of the expression “elders” as it relates to their community leaders, but I do not believe they would object as what I am advocating for is that our society have respect for our “elders” and that we find a way to address the growing problem of abuse that our older members of society are falling prey to. 

Sabby Duthie Elder Abuse Author

In addition to studying law, I have been the owner and operator of two retirement homes in the Ottawa and Leeds & Grenville area. I grew up in England in a southeast Asian family where respect for an older person was instilled within me and the responsibility for the care for the older person must remain within the family unit. 

I have always had a strong passion for the well-being of the older person, and the firm belief that the older person has a voice that should be used and heard. I have just turned fifty years old myself and have learned valuable lessons about ageing, which my residents have shared with me during the years of working in the retirement home industry. 

Working in an institutional setting for over 20 years, I was very much surprised to see how our society looked upon, and even assisted in, creating an environment for elder abuse to exist. In the operation of my retirement homes, the voice of the older person was strongly reinforced within the home; however, this is not always the case in institutional settings. We are fortunate today to have regulations in place on elder abuse in institutional settings. That said, I must admit that we still have a very long way to go in moving towards a society where elder abuse is addressed with the same vengeance as it strikes the older person being abused. 

This book has clearly been a portal that opens up a great opportunity to make a difference in the older person’s life. Having a conversation about elder abuse is one of the key steps to take towards addressing and providing respect to the older person. 

The authors co-founded the non-profit organization, BridgeGen Canada Centre, to raise awareness and support efforts to end ageism and elder abuse.  Bridging generations is central to this fight. We all have a role to play and together we can make a difference. 

team spirit, cohesion, teamwork