In-Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide

PRESENTATION

In partnership with the Chair, Respect Seniors, a Walloon agency to counter the mistreatment of older adults, adapted the In-Hand Practice Guide (Beaulieu, 2010) to the context of practice in the Walloon region (Belgium).

ORIGIN AND EVOLUTION

In 2010, the ensemble of intervenors with the non-profit organisation named Respect Seniors received training on the In-Hand Practice Guide created by the Chairholder.

After this training, the idea of a collaborative endeavour between the Chair and the Walloon organisation emerged. In 2011, this idea materialised into a project aiming to develop intervention tools and mechanisms meant for the professionals of Respect Seniors who intervene in cases of mistreated older adults.

The In-Hand tool was adapted to the organisation’s practices in the Walloon region. This partnership supplied the Chair with new awareness-raising and training material and knowledge transfer.   The In-Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide was the result of this project.

DEVELOPMENT

This joint endeavour was made possible by a grant from the VIIe Commission mixte permanente Québec/Wallonie-Bruxelles International. The project was organised in three phases:

• The first phase profiled the Respect Seniors organisation, notably identifying the orientations of its intervention practices and tools. An analysis of the acceptability and compatibility of the In-Hand tool was completed with the managers and intervenors at Respect Seniors as well.
• The second phase involved the integration of the In-Hand Practice Guide. A support strategy was applied so that the needs of the organisation were properly addressed during the project.
• The third and final phase evaluated the adaptation of the tool by the organisation. Recommendations were then formulated to perfect the practices to counter mistreatment in this unique context.

From 2013 to 2016, Respect Seniors finalised the implementation of the tool in its definitive version. The In-Hand – Respect Seniors Practice Guide was conceived as a companion tool to support psychosocial interventions with mistreated older adults in Walloon.

ACCESS TO THE PRACTICE GUIDE

The In-Hand-Respect Seniors Practice Guide was finalised in January. However, please note that this guide may not suit all practice settings as it was specifically adapted to the Respect Seniors practice, its unique methodology, values, and context.

To obtain more information on the guide’s use and contents, please contact the Director of Respect Seniors, Mr. Dominique Langhendries, to obtain more information. His coordinates are by e-mail or by telephone at +32 81 22 63 32 (Belgium).

REFERENCES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PRACTICE GUIDE:

References in French:

• Respect Seniors et Chaire de recherche sur la maltraitance envers les personnes aînées. (2016). En Mains – Respect Seniors « ENjeux éthiques, Maltraitance, Aînés, Intervention, Scénarios ». Publié par Respect Seniors – Agence wallonne de lutte contre la maltraitance des aînés, Belgique, 24 pages.