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Elizabeth Podnieks
International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse

University of Toronto

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Area of expertise: elder abuse, nursing

Dr. Podnieks received the Order of Canada for her work on elder abuse and has made it her life work. She is a professor at Ryerson University in Toronto in the School of Nursing . Her 21 years in nursing made her aware of the need to protect and preserve the dignity of senior citizens.

Her benchmark study (1992),which was the first national survey on elder abuse, alerted governments, health care institutions and social service organizations of the dimensions of this problem. The study was the first to state prevalence rates and is the study upon which further research is based. Her current research is "Raising Awareness of Elder Abuse in Faith Communities." She is an invited speaker at the Valencia Forum and the Second United Nations Assembly on Aging in Madrid . Dr. Podnieks is the only Canadian participant in the international study on elder abuse conducted by the World Health Organization/International Network of Prevention of Elder Abuse.

Dr. Podnieks is the founder of the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (ONPEA) and Chair of ONPEA's board of directors. ONPEA is an affiliate of the University of Toronto 's Institute for Human Development, Life Course and Aging. She co-chaired the Round Table for Ontario 's Elder Abuse Strategy, with Cam Jackson, Minister of Citizenship with Responsibility for Seniors. The Round Table was struck to provide advice to government on key elements of a comprehensive provincial elder abuse strategy.