Virtual Conference 2025
Collaborate for Change: Dementia-Aware Responses to Abuse in Later Life
A Forum on Family Violence, Gender-Based Violence, and Elder Abuse
Tuesday, May 13th 2025 | 12:00 am – 4:00 PM
On May 13, join CNPEA and EAPO for this online symposium focused on enhancing coordinated support of older victims of elder abuse, family violence, and gender-based violence, particularly when they are living with dementia or experiencing cognitive impairment.
Together, a series of speakers will examine challenges, recommended practices and possible solutions to provide better support to individuals and their families who experience abuse in the context of dementia. This symposium aims to:
raise awareness of successful collaborative intervention team models across sectors to assist older adults who have experienced violence, abuse or neglect;
illustrate the roles that support services and law enforcement can play in assisting older victims by being trained to detect ageism, avoid ableism, and understand seniors’ needs better;
Examine best practices to provide safe, respectful, trauma -and violence- informed services and appropriate support.
This event will be of interest to both seniors’ service providers and professionals in the justice system.
Reserve your spot today!
OPENING SPEAKER
12:15 – 12:45
Session 1 : Collective Response in systemic gaps of IPV of Older Adults
Summary: When ageism, intimate partner violence, and dementia converge in a family crisis, critical gaps in our systems of care, knowledge, protections, and accountability come into view. This complexity can also create space for more collective, coordinated responses that are grounded in the principles of equity-oriented and trauma- and violence-informed care. The presentation will explore key lines of inquiry and strategies for cross-sectoral leadership that centre safety, dignity, and relational accountability.
Speaker
Margaret MacPherson
Research Associate, Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women and Children
Margaret designs and develops curriculum and related materials on a number of initiatives including the Make It Our Business workplace domestic violence program and It’s Not Right! Neighbours, Friends and Families for Older Adults. Margaret is passionate in her belief that everyone has an important contribution to make in creating safe and supportive environments at work and in our communities.
SPEAKERS
12:45 – 1:45 pm
Session 2: Coordinated Community Response models in Indigenous and Urban Communities in Alberta
Speakers:
April Tucker
Indigenous Resource Liaison (South)
Meaghan Westlund
Team Leader for Outreach Services, Unison Alberta Elder Abuse Shelter
In this collaborative presentation, we will explore how Coordinated Community Response (CCR) models, or “Hubs,” are developed and sustained within both Indigenous and urban communities. The presentation will examine how these models differ from rural and urban CCR structures, emphasizing the importance of culturally grounded, holistic, and family centered approaches guided by the Nation as a whole. The discussion will highlight the strengths of community led collaboration rooted in traditional values.
An overview of Calgary’s urban CCR and its recent growth will be shared, including the role of multi agency partnerships and how these relationships help strengthen community-based support. A brief case study will demonstrate how a CCR approach could better support an older adult through coordinated care, and how urban CCRs can continue to expand by including organizations focused on cognitive health.
The presentation will outline key supports available to individuals and families navigating cognitive changes and explore how dementia-specific resources can be meaningfully integrated into CCR models to ensure more inclusive and responsive care.
1:45 pm – 2:45 pm
Session 2: Cross-Sectoral Solutions: Supporting Survivors of Gender-Based Violence-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Through a Survivor-Led Support Program
Summary: This presentation will highlight key insights from Cross-Sectoral Solutions: Strengthening Community Capacity to Address the ‘Parallel Pandemic’ of Gender-Based Violence-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Through a Survivor-Led Support Intervention, a national project led by WomenatthecentrE. Drawing on a lifecourse approach, Gifty Asare will explore the often-overlooked connection between gender-based violence (GBV) and traumatic brain injury (TBI), and how these injuries can compound cognitive challenges across the lifespan. The session will discuss survivor-informed strategies for cross-sector collaboration, with implications for elder abuse prevention, trauma-informed care, and supporting aging survivors of GBV who may also be experiencing the lifelong effects of TBI.
Speaker:
Gifty Asare, PhD
Director of Research and Community Impact, WomenatthecentrE
Gifty is a Ghanaian Canadian researcher from Tiohtià:ke/Montreal and is currently the Director of Research and Community Impact at WomenatthecentrE, a nonprofit by and for survivors of GBV. She holds a PhD in Psychology and Neuroscience from York University, with prior training in Psychiatry (McGill) and Neuroscience (Concordia). Her academic and professional work is rooted in neuroscience, quantitative and qualitative research, neuroimaging, and clinical intervention, with a focus on both younger and older adults; particularly as it relates to GBV, traumatic brain injury (GBV–TBI) and other intersecting injuries, injustices, and acts of violence.
More recently, she served as the research lead for the Public Health Agency of Canada-funded project, “Cross-Sectoral Solutions: Strengthening Community Capacity to Address the ‘Parallel Pandemic’ of Gender-Based Violence-Related Traumatic Brain Injury Through a Survivor-Led Support Intervention” which examined models of care for GBV–TBI survivors.
Currently, Gifty is engaged in several national initiatives, including “Truth and Transformation: Advancing Gender Equity for Black Women, Girls, Gender Diverse, and Trans People in Canada (B-WGGDT),” which addresses the structural and systemic drivers of racialized gender-based violence in Canada. She is deeply committed to advancing survivor-led, culturally grounded, and trauma- and violence-informed responses to gender-based violence and brain injury across the lifespan and in racialized communities.
2:45 pm – 3:45 pm
Session 4 :
Part 1- Law enforcement response and support for Older Adult victims of IPV
Detective Constable Amanda Bitter will discuss the role of police in responding to violence against older adults and the complexities of IPV victims and accused, including dementia as a vulnerability and risk factor. Various case studies will be presented which will explore why an interdisciplinary approach is required to address the difficulties in navigating these intricate cases and intersectional issues.
Part 2 – Best practices for interviewing older adults with diverse backgrounds and needs: Current research and future directions
Dr. Wyman will discuss the existing research on evidenced-based practices for interviewing older adult victims and witnesses. He will provide an overview of special considerations when interviewing older adults who have cognitive and physical-related challenges, including beneficial interviewing accommodations and supports. Furthermore, he will discuss recent research on the training needs of health and law enforcement professionals in Ontario for supporting older adults who are most at-risk of abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Speakers:
Amanda Bitter,
Detective Constable, Major Crimes Bureau, Intimate Partner Violence, York Regional Police
Amanda has been a police officer with the York Regional Police Service for the past seventeen years. Amanda has spent the past four years in the Intimate Partner Violence Unit, and previously worked as a Senior Safety Officer, as well as a Mental Health Support Team Alternate. Amanda, originally from Thunder Bay, Ontario received her Police Foundations Diploma from Confederation College, and then obtained her BA in Psychology from Lakehead University. Amanda is passionate about elder abuse and continues to advocate for older adults.
Joshua Wyman, PhD (he/him)
Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, King’s University College at Western University
Dr. Joshua Wyman is an Assistant Professor at King’s University College at Western University. His research focuses on improving the best practice methods for interviewing older adults in criminal investigations. He is also completing research that explores older adult fraud victimization, prevention and intervention, as well as the prevention and reporting of older adult maltreatment in healthcare settings. Finally, Dr. Wyman is a licensed school and clinical psychologist in Ontario. In his role as a psychologist, he provides psychological assessment, treatment and consultation services to children, youth and parents in school and clinical settings.