Community Programs

Shelters for abused women have a mandate to serve all women seeking refuge from violence and abuse regardless of age; however, the experiences of older women underscore that the existing shelter model often fails to provide for the needs of older women.

Older women come from a generation where people do not discuss their private lives. They have often made lifelong commitments ‘for better or for worse.’ They frequently do not regard transition houses as viable options for them, but only for younger women with children. The foreign concept of communal living, the noise level and lack of quiet space, the lack of privacy, and the physical limitations of shelter may all provide additional impediments to older women . Lack of training and understanding by staff on the issues of aging and ageism, along with the additional issues facing older women, cause many older women to feel that few options are available to them.

With all of this in mind, a new model for shelter services was developed based on the highly successful safe home model, which has been in use for the past 15 to 20 years in BC.

A new shelter model is being piloted in BC, based on a model that has been used successfully for 20 years.

What are Safe Homes?
In past years, smaller centres, concerned over lack of services for abused women looked at alternatives and developed Safe Homes, which provided safety for a woman and her children on a short-term basis.

In this model, individual homeowners who are deeply concerned for the safety and well being of women volunteer their homes for refuge on a short-term basis. A small honorarium is provided to the homeowner to help offset expenses. The homeowner does not offer advice to women staying in their home. In each community, a number of homes comprise a network, which is coordinated and managed by a paid staff member. Her job includes the recruitment, screening, and training of individual homeowners, and the placement of women in safe homes. Locations of the volunteer homes are known only to the coordinator and the homeowner. Safe Homes Networks have successfully operated in BC for nearly 20 years without incident. Historically, women have stayed in safe homes for one to three days. Frequently, the woman is transferred to the nearest transition house, which can be hundreds of miles away.

The primary difference between the existing safe homes and the new service model is the role of the transition house. The local transition house hosts this specialized program for older women. An outreach worker trained specifically in working with older women provides ongoing support from the transition house. Stays at these safe homes are also for longer periods of time.

This model of emergency housing for older women is in its third year of pilot testing in BC and Yukon. The results are encouraging, showing that this shelter service will prove to be of major assistance to older women experiencing violence and abuse in their lives. Safe Homes for Older Women is a project of BC/Yukon Society of Transition Houses. For more information, please visit www.bcysth.ca/where_are_we/transhouse.htm.

Storefront Humber’s Efforts to Thwart Older Women Abuse

Storefront Humber Inc. provides support services to persons who are older and/or disabled, and reside in South Etobicoke/West Toronto, to assist them to live as independently as possible. Storefront recognizes the need for community work to raise awareness and increase people’s ability to recognize and respond quickly to abuse of elderly and disabled people. We recognize that older women and women with disabilities are more vulnerable to abuse. We facilitate and advocate client intervention to ensure client safety. The process is a small step in helping older people live with respect and dignity in our community.

Included in our services are: friendly visiting, security checks, telephone reassurance, etc. to make sure that the client is in a safe home environment. All reporting of abuse is kept confidential and during the course of inquiry the name or the names of person(s) reporting is not disclosed.

Storefront Humber has put in place policies to educate staff and clients on how to fight abuse. For staff, we:

Provide training and education in recognition, prevention, and/or intervention to address abuse of older persons at least annually.
Promote supportive working relationships and permit effective intervention by support staff and volunteers in potentially or actually abusive situations.
Encourage supervisors and colleagues to support staff and volunteers when they report abuse.
Ensure appropriate follow-up procedures are in place to support the reports of abuse.

For clients, we:

Ensure that they are aware of their rights.
Provide them with support to report incidents of abuse.

For more information, contact Mary Hansen, Executive Director, or Mihir Oza, Client Intervention Coordinator at 416-259-4207, or visit www.dementiatoronto.org/oneAgency.asp?agency=Storefront%20Humber.

Canada’s First Transition House for Abused Retired Women

In December, 2003 Atira Women’s Resource Society opened the first transition house for retired women facing abuse and violence. Situated in the Surrey/White Rock area of BC—one of Canada’s premier retirement destinations—it is the first of its kind in the country. The myriad of issues faced by women 55 and older who want to leave an abusive relationship makes it difficult for them to fit into the traditional 30-day maximum stay in a shelter. This model allows for a stay of up to six months in a serene environment, with a limited number of residents, and no children. For information on the program, and to donate household items such as single beds, bedside tables, drawer units, etc., please contact Ama House at 604-542-5992 or visit www.atira.bc.ca/iprograms.htm.

Older women face issues that make it difficult for them to fit into the 30-day maximum stay in a shelter.

Older Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Program

Based at The 519 Church Street Community Centre, this program provides an opportunity for older GLBT people to meet and socialize, formulate issues and concerns, and lobby for social change.

Another aspect of this program is the Senior Pride Network,
a group of organizations and individuals committed to improving access to and increasing program and services to older GLBT people. SPN meets at The 519 quarterly, and members undertake projects and activities to accomplish the goals of the network.

For more information, visit www.the519.org or contact Dick Moore, Program Coordinator at 416-392-6878 ext 118 or seniors@the519.org.

Please contact EWA for a complete hard copy:
publications@womanabuseprevention.com
Telephone: 416.968.3422 x21