2. Background: Edmonton’s coordinated community response to senior abuse
Under Alberta’s provincial strategy to prevent and address senior abuse,Footnote 19 Edmonton uses a coordinated community response (CCR) model, which involves community partnerships that use people-centred approaches such as skilled assessment and case management, in an effort to connect victims and families affected by senior abuse with appropriate supports or interventions. CCR models typically involve a variety of services such as counselling, dispute resolution, legal aid, crisis response, health services, safe and affordable housing or shelter services, court support, and financial assistance.Footnote 20 These models aim to provide a meaningful, coordinated and integrated approach to senior abuse by leveraging knowledge, services and expertise across multiple agencies and partners.
CCR models may look different in each community. Edmonton’s CCR model, for example, includes triaging senior abuse reports into one of two streams, according to their risk level:
- The Elder Abuse Resource and Supports Program (EARS): Provides support, assessment and referrals to seniors who are at low to medium risk of experiencing abuse in their home situation. EARS also provides education and awareness building to community members. EARS cases do not require police intervention.
- The Seniors Protection Partnership (SPP): Provides support, assessment, intervention and referrals to seniors who are at high risk of experiencing abuse. The SPP also provides education and awareness building to community members. SPP cases may require police intervention or investigation. In cases where immediate support and intervention is needed, a police constable, a social worker and, if possible, a nurse will mitigate the risk and stabilize the situation. The victims and others involved in the incident may then be referred to other appropriate community supports and services. In some cases, further police investigation is required. The SPP involves a partnership between the City of Edmonton, Catholic Social Services, Covenant Health, the Sage Seniors Association, as well as the Edmonton Police Service (EPS).
A senior abuse report is identified as high-risk if it requires more than one discipline to address and mitigate the risk, and if the report includes one or more of the following factors:
- presence of a criminal record or a history of violence;
- victim’s deterioration of physical or mental health, including diminished cognition or capacity;
- alleged abuser’s substance abuse or gambling difficulties;
- suspicion of mishandling, using or selling the victim’s medication;
- severe injury or financial loss;
- alleged abuser’s ease of access to the victim;
- previous intervention or services provided to the victim;
- social isolation of the victim;
- burnt-out of the caregiver; or
- codependent relationship between the victim and alleged abuser.
Edmonton also has the Elder Abuse Consultation Team (EACT), a team that meets monthly to discuss complex and serious senior abuse cases requiring assistance, support, guidance and intervention. The EACT includes representatives from the SPP and other community agencies and organizations such as Operation Friendship Seniors Society,Footnote 21 the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee,Footnote 22 Sage Seniors Safe HouseFootnote 23 and ASSIST Community Services Centre.Footnote 24 Anyone can bring a case forward for consultation, whether it be an EACT member or someone from the community. Specialized identification and intervention models, such as CCRs, have been identified as promising practices in addressing senior abuse.Footnote 25 For a detailed overview explaining the five-step process to develop a CCR, see the toolkit developed by the Alberta government.
“The right partnerships can connect those who don’t need to be in the justice system with the right resources at the right time.” – Seniors Protection Partnership
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