Learning Objective #1: identify the progress that Canada has made in addressing abuse of older adults in long term care facilities.

Learning Objective #2: demonstrate an understanding of current and emerging strategies in Canada to reduce abuse of older adults in long term care facilities.

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Canada has been gradually generating a body of knowledge about promising practices to address abuse and neglect of older adults living in the community. However, there is far less scholarly activity related to what can be done to address similar harms that may occur in long term institutional care settings. The economic costs of such harm range from investigation procedures, health care interventions, to the lost productivity of those involved in the experience. The personal costs range from loss of dignity, to physical trauma, and perhaps early death. Described in this paper is a national project that was initiated to address this very point. The project's primary objective is to enhance the capacity of communities to better understand and respond to the issues of abuse and neglect in long term care. It was initiated under the Canadian government’s National Population Health priority of "Safe and Supportive Environments" and it has resulted in increased knowledge about life and work in long term care facilities, as well as promising approaches to support seniors’ wellbeing in these same institutions. Specifically, the project advances the level of knowledge of health care professionals, community organizations, and policy makers in Canada about current approaches being used to address abuse and neglect of older adults living in long term care facilities. Explicit emphasis in the presentation will be on the findings of what the project team describes as a “National Snapshot of Abuse Prevention in Long term care” obtained through key stakeholder interviews and focus groups.