Elder Abuse and SMHBSS: Implementation of Best Practices
January 31st, 2023
EAPO Annual Virtual Conference Series
Risk Assessment of Older Adults: Practical Tools for Early Detection and Intervention of Elder Abuse
Did you know there are no guidelines for specialized geriatric psychiatry outreach teams to use when
intervening with community dwelling older people at risk of or experiencing elder abuse? Many resources exist to guide screening and intervention with older people at risk of or experiencing elder abuse, they often suggest referring to specialized services, but none have guidance for what specialized services should do to help.
Once we discovered this issue, we struck a working group to reflect on our current practices and develop resources to ensure we are identifying abuse and providing the best interventions and outcomes possible. The working group adapted existing tools into a resource guide which maximizes the specialized knowledge and abilities of Seniors Mental
Health Outreach team members.
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Identify why a formal process for how a community seniors mental health program
addresses elder abuse was created;
2. Identify a wide range of tools which can help identify elder abuse;
3. Identify how inter-professional team members can work together to support a client at risk
of or experiencing elder abuse; and
4. Reflect that there are no easy answers to situations involving abuse.
We will also briefly discuss implementation and some of the challenges in making these changes over
the past two years.
Speakers:
Sheri Williams-Miller
Registered Nurse Case Manager with the Hastings Prince Edward Seniors Mental Health Outreach Team.
Tricia Dominik
Registered Nurse Case Manager with the Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Seniors Mental Health Outreach Team Both are with Providence Care’s Seniors Mental Health Behavioural Support Services
