Knowledge Hub Presents - December 10, 2024
RISE: Toward Evidence-Based Elder Mistreatment Prevention and Response
Approximately 10% of older adults (~900,000) in Canada in the community experience some form of elder mistreatment (abuse, neglect, financial exploitation) each year. Elder mistreatment victimization is associated with serious consequences such as pre-mature mortality, suicidal ideation, poor mental/physical health, as well as increased healthcare utilization. In the absence of effective prevention interventions, the scope of this problem is projected to expand in proportion with older adult population growth. Throughout most of Canada, we currently do not have an organized system of response in the community to support victims of elder mistreatment. Funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and in partnership with Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario (EAPO), RISE was developed as a solution to address this systems gap. RISE was developed based on theory, prior research, and extensive consultation with older adult survivors and other stakeholders. RISE operates at Relational, Individual, Social, and Environmental levels and its core modalities seek to Repair Harm (restorative approaches), Inspire Change (motivational interviewing), Support Connection (teaming), and Empower Choice (supported decision-making). This presentation will describe the RISE model and report initial findings from a randomized control trial designed to test the effectiveness of the RISE/EAPO response framework across Ontario, including significant improvements on several psychosocial outcomes. RISE is one of the first evidence-based programs, worldwide, dedicated to the prevention and response of elder mistreatment in the community.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this webinar, attendees will be able to:
Presenters
Dr. David Burnes is a Professor at the University of Toronto and holds the Canada Research in Older Adult Mistreatment Prevention. His research focuses on the mistreatment of older adults, including its prevalence, risk factors, and effective prevention and response strategies. Dr. Burnes has published extensively in leading gerontology, public health, and medical journals. He advises international entities like the World Health Organization and U.S. National Institutes of Health on the issue of elder mistreatment. Dr. Burnes also collaborates with government and non-profit organizations, such state-level adult protective services programs, on the development, implementation, and evaluation of elder mistreatment programs. Dr. Burnes and colleagues developed “RISE”, a community- and evidence-based elder mistreatment prevention and response intervention that is currently in various stages of planning or implementation across North America.
Andria Allen holds a Master of Social Work degree from the Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. She is a clinical social worker and therapist and a registered social worker with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. Her employment history includes the development and leadership of programs and services in the Greater Toronto Area. Her career has focused on populations by stages of life intersecting with developmental disabilities, mental health, and various issues related to health equity. She offers years of experience with evidence-informed approaches to clinical service delivery and community development, intersecting with systemic oppression. Andria led the development of programs and services, including population-specific programs for older adults from the diverse Caribbean and Muslim communities living in the west end of Toronto. As the Supervisor for the RISE program, Andria is able to contextualize the realities of an older adult facing one or more of the different forms of elder abuse. The intersecting bio-psycho-social and cultural state of each individual impacted by abuse is a lived reality that too many older adults face.
Marta Hajek is the CEO of Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario and feels privileged to be leading a modest, but extremely dedicated staff complement, supporting older adults and service professionals alike, when addressing the complexity of issues of EA. Under her stewardship EAPO continues to expand its circle of strategic partnerships across both national and international spectrums. As Director of Operations, she helped facilitate the rollout of ON 211, now a national information and referral service engaged in the human services sector. Marta continues to serve on the Seniors Expert Advisory Committee with the ON Securities Commission, as a Board Director with the Canadian Network for the Prevention of EA, is an elected member to the Steering Group of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Older Persons (GAROP) and is through EAPO a founding partner of the Canadian Coalition Against Ageism (CCAA). Most recently Marta joined the Board of the International Longevity Centre - Canada and is a sought after speaker on the intersectionality of elder abuse and human rights violations, including gender-based violence. In May 2024, Marta once again addressed the United Nation’s Open Ended Working Group on Aging as part of the CCAA delegation, advocating for the protection of human rights of this fastest growing demographic and calling for the declaration of a UN convention for the Rights of Older Persons.
Learn more about the RISE project.
