1. The Older Women’s Legal Education Project
Krista James, Canadian Centre For Elder Law
Alana Prochuk, West Coast LEAF

2. Presentation Goals for Today
Support you to:
Learn about some unique needs of older women fleeing abuse
Consider the gender-based dimensions of elder abuse
Be aware of resources that can support diverse older women

3. Presentation Roadmap Why did we collaborate to undertake this work?
What did we learn?
How can you use the Roads to Safety legal handbook and multilingual wallet cards in your practice?
What are some other helpful resources?

4. We do:
Legal research & writing
Collaboration & consultation
We develop:
Law reform reports
Materials to help people understand legal rights and responsibilities

5. Public Legal Education
West Coast LEAF
Litigation
Law Reform
Public Legal Education
Promotes gender equality through the law
Envisions a society that is equal and just for all women and people who experience gender discrimination

6. The Older Women’s Legal Education Project

7. Why this project? Learning from Older Women’s Dialogue Project:
Abuse is an urgent legal issue for older women
Report 1: Your Words are Worth Something
Report 2: We are Not all the Same
Video: No Voice

8. Why this project?
Access to justice and legal information is a huge problem for older women
Most resources and tools that address elder abuse are gender neutral
The violence against women and seniors sectors remain very separate

9. What did we do?
Consulted with older women and service providers about legal information needs
Developed a 97-page handbook Roads to Safety
Held 10 in-person workshops for service providers
Hosted a two-part webinar series
Created wallet size cards with emergency contact information (12 languages and version listing specialized services for Indigenous women)

10. Barriers Facing Older Women Who Have Experienced Violence

11. Older Women’s Dialogue Project Participant
“Women often stay in a situation that is very unhealthy and scary for years because they don’t know how to end it. And where do you go when you leave?”
Older Women’s Dialogue Project Participant

12. Older Women’s Dialogue Project Participant
“The older women in their 70s and 80s are a different generation, and they got married for life. There would be a lot of shame in leaving. And they may never have worked: they have no money to leave.”
Older Women’s Dialogue Project Participant

13. “It’s not just that older woman are treated poorly, but if you’re older, a woman and not white you’re treated worse. There are different levels and kinds of discrimination that stack up one on another. When you’re like me and poor, not-white, older and a woman—well then you’re in trouble.”
Older Women’s Dialogue Project Participant

14. Barriers Older Women Face to Leaving Abuse
Caregiver responsibilities
Shame
Lack of family support
Fear of loss of contact with grandchildren
Lack of housing options
Financial insecurity
Lack of knowledge of their rights
Fear of deportation

15. Barriers Women Face to Leaving Abuse
Promising Practices Tool

16. Barriers Reported by Transition Houses
Length of stay permitted—30%
Mobility issues—57%
Need for accompaniment to medical and other appointments—51%
Lack of capacity to provide support with disability and other health care issues—67%

17. Providing the Best Possible Support to Older Women

18. Promising Practices
Outreach strategies tailored to women who are older
Access to health care for women who are older
Practical Guide to Elder Abuse and Neglect Law in Canada

19. Roads To Safety – What’s in the Handbook?
Emergency assistance information
Steps for safety planning
Examples of abuse scenarios
Accessing welfare, housing & replacement ID
Resources list

20. Roads To Safety – What’s in the Handbook?
Legal topics:
Decision-making rights
Advance planning for decision making
How to apply for legal aid
Immigration and sponsorship

21. Roads To Safety – What’s in the Handbook?
Legal topics:
Keeping grandchildren safe
Property division after separation
Peace bonds & protection orders
Appealing a denial or legal aid or welfare

22. Roads To Safety – What’s in the Handbook?
Tips on how to find a lawyer
What is an advocate?
Role of Victim Services Workers
Role of mediators
Role of the Public Guardian and Trustee

23. Roads To Safety – What Makes it Unique?
One-stop information shopping
Integrates legal system & other supports
Developed based on consultation with service providers & older women
Teaching elements re: abuse of older women

24. Roads To Safety – How to Use It
Professional development & learning—for you
Staff & student training
Workbook for clients
Resources for referral

25. Roads To Safety – Where to Find It
Access online
Print copies or order wallet cards? Contact Alana:
The handbook is out of stock, but you are welcome to print your own!

26. Roads To Safety – About the Wallet Cards
Compact and discreet
Support women to connect to help
Specialized services listed for Indigenous older women
Multilingual versions list different resources from the general English version

27. Roads To Safety – Wallet Card Versions
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
English (General)
English (Indigenous Services)
Farsi
French
Hindi
Tagalog
Punjabi
Spanish
Urdu
Vietnamese

28. Alana Prochuk, West Coast LEAF education@westcoastleaf.org
Keep in touch!
Alana Prochuk, West Coast LEAF
Krista James, CCEL
@CCElderLaw @WestCoast_LEAF
/CanadianCentreforElderLaw
/WestCoastLEAF