Legislative reform and infrastructure development for mistreatment of older adults with dementia within the home context

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) advocate the provincial government institute legislative reform and infrastructure development to support professional intervention in cases of mistreatment of older adults with a neurocognitive disorder by an informal caregiver within the home.

Action

The movers of this resolution collaborated with their local MPP France Gélinas, NDP health critic, to develop legislation that was tabled on Feb. 23, 2021. The private member’s bill, Bill 253, Support for Adults in Need of Assistance Act, 2021, requires:

Regulated health professionals to report to a board of health if they have reasonable suspicion that an individual who is 16 years of age or older is being abused or neglected;
A board of health to ensure each report received is assessed and verified within a certain time period;
Every board of health establish a team that will review cases and recommend a support and assistance plan for individuals in need.

The legislation fulfills this resolution adopted at RNAO’s 2020 Annual General Meeting and has received endorsement from RNAO. For more details about the status of Bill 253, please see the Legislative Assembly of Ontario website here.