A troubling problem affects a number of aging adults, yet it's a subject long gone overlooked in the media: many living in privately-owned rental housing are victims of mistreatment. Julien Simard, a postdoctoral member of CREGÉS, examined this social phenomenon as part of his doctoral dissertation and in subsequent projects. With support from the Dialogue program of the Fonds de recherche du Québec and the CREGÉS, he now wishes to bring this issue to the attention of the general public and those who work with seniors.

Julien Simard, a social gerontologist, holds a master's degree in anthropology (Université de Montréal), a doctorate in urban studies (Institut national de recherche scientifique – Centre Urbanisation culture et société) and a postdoctorate (McGill School of Social Work). He was recently a postdoctoral researcher in the Département d’études urbaines et touristiques at Université du Québec à Montréal, and a lecturer in the gerontology certificate program at Université de Montréal. He is interested in many issues related to aging, including end of life, housing, immigration and social exclusion.

In March 2023, he will launch two podcast episodes on the harassment and abuse of older adults living in Montreal's private rental market. These podcasts will include interviews with experts (like CREGÉS researcher Mélanie Couture) and will look in more detail at specific forms of interpersonal and structural violence experienced by seniors.

Each podcast will be launched in the format of a collective listening session, followed by public discussion (see full details at right). These launch events, open to the general public and especially to those caring for older people, aims to invite public exchange on the subject(s) and shed new light on ways of confronting this problem.