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Ethnocultural Lens on Older Adult Mistreatment Training

Despite growing awareness around the identification, prevention, and response to elder abuse and neglect, significant barriers remain when addressing these issues through an ethnocultural lens. Existing resources often take a one-size-fits-all approach, overlooking the intersectionality of ethnicity, language, and culture that shapes the experiences of diverse older adults and their communities.

Our training takes a different approach, focusing on older adult mistreatment and abuse through a strength-based, respectful lens that honours the unique needs of culturally and linguistically diverse older individuals. Studies show that culture plays a dual role in this context, acting as both risk and protective factors. Cultural influences shape how elder abuse is perceived, reported, and addressed, leading to linguistic, cultural, social, and institutional barriers that impact reporting and access to support. Additionally, these cultural dynamics influence how professionals and authorities engage with those requiring assistance.

About the Training Program

The Ethnocultural Older Adult Mistreatment Training Program is designed to empower organizations and staff working with ethnocultural communities to address and prevent the mistreatment of older adults. The program takes a culturally sensitive approach, recognizing the unique challenges and nuances within ethnocultural communities, especially the stigma, cultural values, family dynamics and barriers that may impact the recognition and reporting of older adult mistreatment.

Who is the training for?

Please note: This training is beneficial for any organization or professional who works with ethnocultural communities and older adult clients. No prior experience with older adult mistreatment or abuse is required.

Key Objectives of the Training Program

  1. Enhancing awareness: Increase understanding of older adult mistreatment, and the power of words within ethnocultural communities by exploring the factors that influence mistreatment.
  2. Cultural sensitivity: Equip staff and organizations with tools to approach the topic with sensitivity, focusing on cultural humility and the values of diverse communities, such as family dynamics, filial piety, and collective decision-making.
  3. Empowering ethnocultural communities and building community engagement: Build community knowledge on healthy aging, and the importance of healthy relationships, and empower older adults and their families to recognize signs of mistreatment. Foster strong partnerships between organizations and ethnocultural communities to create support systems and safe environments for older adults.
  4. Improving reporting processes: Sharing knowledge around the general understanding of the reporting process. Provide clear and culturally appropriate guidelines on reporting mistreatment and responding after a report is made.
  5. Harm reduction focus: Address the fact that many older adults remain with their abusers due to familial obligations and cultural expectations and focus on harm reduction strategies to improve safety while respecting cultural contexts.
  6. Educating and empowering staff:  Equip staff with the skills to identify and address older adult mistreatment in ethnocultural communities, emphasizing cultural humility, continuous learning, and effective communication. Support staff in understanding cultural nuances and tailoring respectful interventions to meet diverse clients’ needs.

Program Delivery Format

  • This is a full-day (7-hour) OR 2 half-day (3.5 hours each) formatted session (in-person or virtual) that includes interactive components like reflection questions, group discussions, and case study analysis.
  • You will receive the slide deck (PowerPoints), the training manual/toolkit as well as a certificate of attendance after the completion of the training.

Contact Us

For more information about the training program, or to schedule a session, please contact:

Dr. Rose Joudi
Email: RoseJ@CaryaCalgary.ca
Office Phone: 403-705-7576