Calgary West Central Primary Care Network

Elder Abuse Prevention Team and Elder Abuse Response Team

Dec 12, 2022

Elder Abuse Prevention Team and Elder Abuse Response Team

Dec 12, 2022

There are two teams in Calgary that assist older adults who are experiencing elder abuse:

  • Non-criminal abuse: The Elder Abuse Prevention Team (EAPT) provides social work support to older adults experiencing elder abuse that falls outside the justice system and consultation support to professionals confronted with elder abuse in their practice.
  • Criminal abuse: The Elder Abuse Response Team (EART) is a multidisciplinary team of social workers and police officers that work together to investigate and support high risk and/or chronic cases of elder abuse.

Professionals can call the EAPT’s professional consult line — 403.705.7560 — if they wish to consult with the team about cases of suspected or confirmed elder abuse or to access training opportunities.

The EAPT can also provide supports such as safety planning, court support, supported referral to community resources, and assistance with system navigation.

Eligibility

Shared eligibility criteria for both teams: Adults over 65 and who have a trusting relationship (friend, family, caregiver, spouse, etc.) with the alleged or confirmed abuser.

Additional criteria for the prevention team:

  • Non-criminal elder abuse
  • Low to medium risk and chronic risk factors, such as mental health, addiction, loss of employment, etc.
  • Client resides in the City of Calgary and consents to the referral

Additional criteria for the response team:

  • Suspected criminal elder abuse
  • The Calgary Police Service has been contacted

Referral Process

EAPT:

  • The referring professional must complete the referral form.
  • Please contact the professional consult line at 403.705.7560 to have the form forwarded.

EART:

  1. Report elder abuse by calling 911 if there is immediate risk or by calling 403.266.1234 if it is not an emergency
  2. Frontline patrol responds to manage risk, preserve evidence, and address immediate needs
  3. Referred internally to the EART

Wait Time

EAPT:

  • Clients are contacted within 24 to 48 hours following receipt of a referral.

EART:

  • After the internal referral, the wait time is approximately one week.