Among the trends already noticed by police is an increase in inappropriate physical and sexual behaviour by residents, workers and visitors in long-term care homes. Financial abuse is the most common form of crime against seniors and is expected to remain the main issue for police to deal with.

The six-year-old Crimes Against Seniors Unit investigated a total of 754 cases from 2004 to 2008. Each year’s total number of investigations ranged from a high of 214 in 2006 to a low of 105 in 2007.

Based on that workload, and an anticipated increase in the elderly population that could see seniors reach 41 per cent of Hamilton’s population — an increase of about 20 per cent — Hamilton Police say they will be examining ways to meet future demand.

A breakdown of the cases investigated last year shows 84 of 120 matters involved financial abuse and 20 cases of physical abuse.

The CASU was formed in March 2004 and consists of just two detectives working in the Victims of Crime Branch. It is apparently the first full-time investigative unit of its kind in Ontario.

Hamilton Police first recognized the specialized policing necessary to support seniors with the formation of the Seniors Support Officer in January 1998. Eleven years later, there is one Senior Support Officer in each of the service’s three patrol divisions.

A year end report on the two seniors-focused policing programs stated an example of a Senior Support Officer case is evicting crack users who move into the home of a helpless elderly person and turn their home into a crack house.

The support officers deliver presentations to community groups and police officers about seniors’ issues, and investigate some cases of abuse and neglect. They work with community groups on issues of senior’s safety and security.

Police are currently investigating complaints of senior abuse at Governor’s Green Apartments in Dundas.