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In Hand practice guideline-Respect Seniors – Joint reflection around implementing a tool to support the fight against mistreatment of older adults

PRINCIPAL RESEARCHER:

Marie Beaulieu, Ph. D., University of Sherbrooke

RESEARCH TEAM:

Nicolas Berg and Dominique Langhendries, from the non-profit association Respect Seniors, in Belgium

CHAIR PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT:

Louise Belzile, former student and research assistant

Annie Riendeau, from the Health and Social Services Centre of Haute-Yamaska, former student and research assistant

GRANTING AGENCY AND GRANT AMOUNT:

The VIIth Permanent Joint Board Quebec-Wallonia-Brussels, $12 500

PROJECT COMPLETION DATES:

From August 2011 to July 2013

ROLE OF CHAIR IN THE PROJECT:

Support Respect Seniors in the review of its clinical procedures and in the integration of the practice guideline In Hand into these procedures.

RESEARCH PROBLEM:

In November 2010, the Chairholder trained all the practitioners of the Wallonia organization Respect-Seniors in the use of the In Hand practice guideline, which puts forward three possible scenarios for psychosocial intervention in situations of mistreatment. The Wallonia-Quebec cross-project was created on the basis of this training session.

GOAL OF THE PROJECT OR RESEARCH QUESTION:

Contribute to the review of the Respect Seniors’ methodological tools by proposing a version of the In Hand practice guideline adapted to the Walloon context.

OBJECTIVES:

This collaboration between the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults at the University of Sherbrooke (Quebec) and the non-profit association Respect Seniors (Wallonia) aims to:

Develop tools and intervention procedures to be used with mistreated older adults, thereby providing Respects Seniors inputs that can benefit those who receive their services as well as providing new training and knowledge transfer material to the Research Chair;

Implement mechanisms that ensure complementarity between the two actors in this project, which are the basis for the sustainability of mutual benefits generated by the project.

METHODOLOGY:

Phase I

Provide a description of Respect Seniors and placing its action in the Walloon context.

Become familiar with the practice guidelines and tools used by the practitioners of Respect Seniors.

Characterize these guidelines and tools.

Evaluate the receptiveness of managers and practitioners to the use of a tool such as the In Hand practice guide, as well as its compatibility with the needs of the organization.

Identify the expectations concerning the introduction of changes.

Phase II

Participate in the revision of the practice guidelines and tools while integrating, if need be, elements from the In Hand practice guideline.

Identify the needs in terms of support in the implementation of practice guidelines and tools such as those provided by the In Hand guide.

Develop a strategy to support the implementation of guidelines and tools that meet the organization’s needs.

Phase III

Review the actual use of the intervention tools and practice guidelines by taking into account the adjustments made by the users.

Make recommendations for the improvement of practices used in the fight against mistreatment.

PROJECT ADVANCEMENT:

The project was completed in the summer of 2013. The Chairholder, accompanied by a student, went four times to Wallonia and colleagues from Namur came twice to Quebec. An article was published in the journal Intervention. As well, the Chair has organized three international symposia where its work was presented: in Dijon, Prague and Toulouse. The results were also presented at conferences such as Seoul, in June 2013, where our poster won a “Best Poster Award”. Respect Seniors is in the process of implementing its new approach.

COMMUNICATIONS:

Berg, N., Langendries, D., Oudewater, M., & Beaulieu, M. (18 octobre 2014). L’intervention auprès des aînés maltraités en Wallonie (Belgique) : révision des processus et intégration de En Mains, un guide de pratique développé au Québec. 43rd Annual Scientific and Educational Meeting of the Canadian Association of Gerontology. « Panorama du vieillissement : Enjeux critiques, nouvelles possibilités ». Niagara Falls (Ontario).

Beaulieu, M., Berg, N., Langendhries, D., Oudewater, M., & Belzile, L. (June 23-27, 2013). Adapting a Québec (French Canada) practice guide in elder abuse to the Walloon (French Belgium) context: En Mains (In Hand).The 20th IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics: Digital Ageing: A New Horizon for Health Care and Active Ageing. (Seoul, Korea).

Beaulieu, M., Berg, N., Belzile, L., Langhendries, D., & Oudewater, M. (April 17-18, 2013). Étude d’acceptabilité du guide de pratique En Mains (suivi de cas en maltraitance des aînés) en Wallonie. 1er congrès francophone sur la fragilité des personnes âgées. Toulouse (France).

PUBLICATIONS:

Belzile, L., Beaulieu, M., Berg, N., & Respect Seniors (2013). Quelques défis pour la pratique du travail social dans la lutte contre la maltraitance envers les aînés en Wallonie. Intervention, 137, 57-67.