Maltreatment

What is maltreatment?

Maltreatment is defined as “a single or repeated act, or a lack of appropriate action, that occurs in a relationship where there is an expectation of trust, and that intentionally or unintentionally causes harm or distress to a senior or a person in a vulnerable situation.”

Definition

Person in a vulnerable situation: means a person of full age whose ability to request or obtain assistance is temporarily or permanently limited because of factors such as a restraint, limitation, illness, disease, injury, impairment or handicap, which may be physical, cognitive or psychological in nature, such as a physical or intellectual disability or an autism spectrum disorder.

Forms of maltreatment

Violence: To bully a senior or use force and/or intimidation to make them act against their will.
Neglect: Failure to show concern for a senior, by not taking the adequate actions to meet their needs, for example.
Intentional maltreatment: The mistreating person wants to cause harm to the senior.
Unintentional maltreatment: The mistreating person does not want to cause harm or does not understand that they are causing harm.

Note: It is important to assess the signs and situations to avoid drawing hasty conclusions or labelling people.

For more information on maltreatment, including information on the seven types of maltreatment, visit the website /typo3conf/l10n/fr/rtehtmlarea/Resources/Private/Language/fr.locallang_accessibilityicons.xlf:external_link_new_window_altText quebec.ca.