Programs & Services > Seniors & Caregivers > SCSS History

Highlights of SCSS history

1980
The beginning – a grant of $15,000 is received from the provincial government.

1981
Senior Support Services (SSS) is born.  One part time coordinator (.8) is hired and six volunteers are recruited.

1981 to 1982
Total budget for first year of operation is $27,550. 

1984
First summer student is hired to relieve volunteers for two months during the summer.

1985
May – After four years of operation SSS serves its 1000th client.

1985
Two hour workshop presented to Molsons’ employees on Caring for Aging Parents – this is the first of many workshops, seminars and series offered in the work place.

1986
Caregiver Support program begins – two six week series offered in the Spring and Fall.

1986
• First social work student does a placement at SSS.  Over the years since this time, placements have been provided to social work students from the University of Toronto, Ryerson University, Wilfred Laurier University and York University.  Medical students and community college students have also completed placements at different periods over the following years.
• Staff and volunteers begin tracking cases of elder abuse.

1988
Negotiations completed for a partnership with Community Care East York (CCEY) to provide Senior Support Services on a purchase of service contact to clients needing held in seeking alternative accommodation.  A part time coordinator (.8) is hired and four volunteers are recruited.

1988
Poster presentation to the Canadian Association on Gerontology (CAG) meeting in Halifax which highlighted the volunteer role in providing services to seniors.

1989
• Research paper presented to CAG meeting in Ottawa comparing 810 cases referred to SSS for placement over a three year period and illustrating the important role played by family members (610 cases) in maintaining elderly relatives in the community much longer than those with no family (200).
• Data from this and other research is used in advocacy regarding the burden placed on family caregivers, and in briefs and a consumer focus group responding to long term care initiatives.

1989
The social work component of SSS is increased from “consultant” to part time staff member (.2 or one year than .4 FTE).

1991
Volunteer Grandparent Program began with a grant from Toronto Health Fund.  Hiring of Coordinator for this program (.6) occurs.

1991
A part time social worker is hired for SSS (.4).

1992
Caregiver Support Programs are enhanced and broadened with the hiring of a part time coordinator (.6 FTE) and the name is changed to Seniors/Family Wellness Program.

1992
A six week training program for volunteers of the Islamic Social Services and Resources Association is developed and implemented.  First of several similar training programs offered to ethno specific groups.

1993
A group for senior women designed to reduce isolation and increase social networks starts.  This group, named BOOST, continues to this day, meeting twice a month.
Development and implementation of Family Service Association of Toronto’s Placement Coordination Services (PCS), Pre and post-placement workshops are developed in partnership with the community and PCS and delivered through our Caregiver Education program.

1994
Poster Presentation to Canadian Association on Gerontology, “Up and Down the Generations” highlighting work of Seniors and Caregivers from volunteer grandparents to caregiver and elder services.

1995
• With the devolution of the placement function to PCS, Senior Support Services refocuses its work to clinical issues relating to abuse, depression, isolation, and practical assistance.  A Case Aide volunteer program is developed to assist staff in enhancing their work with older persons and their caregivers.
• Unit renamed to Seniors and Caregivers Support Services to better reflect the totality of persons we work with.

1996
• SAGE (Senior Adults Giving Experience) volunteer program developed.  Adults 50 years of age or older provide friendly visiting and telephone reassurance/security checks to seniors.
• Family Service Association of Toronto receives New Horizons Program Grant to partner with Community Older Persons Alcohol Program (COPA) to do joint workshops for caregivers and family members who are caring for elderly persons who were dealing with substance abuse issues. Presentation on Project to Canadian Association on Gerontology, Quebec City
• Pat Fleming award created to recognize the work of one volunteer per year who is dedicated to working with older persons.  This award is named after Pat Fleming, the manager of Senior Support Service from 1982 to 1994.

1997
• Placement Coordination Service (PCS) devolved to the Community Care Access Centres.
• National Film Board Series on caregiving , directed by Dan Curtis, and shown on CBC released. Utilizes stories  told by SCSS clients.

1998
Results of a two year study on service providers’ successes and challenges encountered when working in elder abuse situations is released to the media and picked up nationally.  This event marks the beginning of public recognition of FSA’s role in this growing social issue.

1998 –1999
• Coordinator Caregiver Education program presents on Panel Community Supports-Plenary Session Alzheimer’s Canada Conference Vancouver
• Funding is received from the City of Toronto’s Breaking the Cycle of Violence Grants fund to develop an elder abuse training program.  Training is given to over 200 people in 10 locations across Toronto.

2000
SCSS unit receives the first of two years of funding to develop and implement an Elder Abuse Consultation Team.

2002
• FSA’s cross-sectoral Elder Abuse Consultation Team reviews its first case of elder abuse.
• FSA is asked to assist the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
• SCSS participates in a research project sponsored by the World Health Organization to develop a universal screening tool on elder abuse.  This work is published in the Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect in 2005.
• Focus group interviews are conducted for the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization, through the SCSS unit, which resulted in the publication, “Missing Voices”.

2003
Research paper on the medicalization of abuse in later life is presented at the CAG meetings in Montreal.

2003
SCSS unit represents FSA in a coalition of 17 agencies, named VITAL.  This group mounts a “bus campaign” to follow the leaders of the three major political parties to secure a promise to enhance funding to the community support sector by 25%.  This request is made in recognition of the fact the sector has had no increases to base funding in 12 years.

2003
FSA’s SCSS unit joins in partnership with Education Wife Assault to raise awareness across the domestic violence and seniors sector of issues related to the abuse older women.  Products of this partnership include a highly successful conference titled, Weaving the Web, in January, 2004, a special edition newsletter on elder abuse, an environmental scan, a review of the literature on peer support groups and ten trainings to coalitions of persons concerned about the abuse of older persons.

2004
• TVO completes and airs a documentary on elder abuse which features two clients of SCSS, the manager and one staff person, Brenda Anderson.
• The SCSS team presents a paper titled “Breaking the Silence: A holistic approach to working with older adults who are abused”, at the Ontario Elder Abuse Conference.
• Manager of SCSS unit is appointed Manager of Violence Against Women Program and retains duties in SCSS program.  This appointment brings the two teams together on issues related to abuse and violence through cross training initiatives, case sharing and informal consultations.
• Seniors Advisory Council to SCSS unit developed.
• Delegations from Hong Kong, Scotland and Australia seek out information on FSA’s elder abuse work.
• The Honorable George Smitherman, Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, joins FSA to launch the first known clinical best practice manual on elder abuse.  Titled “Breaking the Silence: Best Practices for Responding to the Abuse of Older Adults” this manual is sold to people working with abused older adults.  Orders come from as far away as New Zealand and Scotland.

2005
• SCSS provides clinical consultation to Carefirst’s Elder Abuse Help Line designed for the Chinese Community.
• Consultation support is provided to various communities, including Peterborough and Ottawa, to help them develop elder abuse consultation teams.
• A total of 97 workshops are provided to caregivers on a range of health and wellness topics.
• Manager of SCSS is asked by the Government of Ontario to write a fact sheet on safety planning for older people who are abused.  This fact sheet is handed out at many public events by the Government of Ontario and the Ontario Elder Abuse Strategy.
• The SCSS team joins the Ontario Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse in marking the Province of Ontario’s first Provincial Elder Abuse Awareness Day at a candlelight vigil.
• Partnerships are established with community health centres, faith communities and community centres allowing us to extend the work of our caregiver education program.

2006
June – First World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is celebrated by staff and seniors.  The day is marked by the creation of a banner portraying various people’s vision of what a world free of abuse of older people would look like to them.  In the afternoon we joined forces with over 200 seniors who went to provincial legislature to hear a declaration of this day.

2007
• June - Second World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is marked by a day of learning about and using popular theatre as a tool for community building.
• Manager of SCSS is seconded to the Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network to lead the development of a planning and funding structure for the first year of the Government of Ontario’s new Aging at Home Strategy.
• Family Service Association of Toronto is invited to an invitation only consultation on elder abuse by the National Seniors Council.
• Family Service Association of Toronto joins the National Care of the Elderly Network (NICE) and the Elder Abuse Theme team.  Work is begun on the adaptation of an intervention tool for working with older people who are abused.
• Family Service Association of Toronto is invited to participate in the Federal/Provincial/Territorial (F/P/T) Elder Abuse Working Forum In Vancouver.  This forum is hosted by the Federal/Provincial/Territorial Safety & Security for Seniors Working Group and focuses on identifying collaborative actions and partnerships across organizations and health, social and justice systems that should be considered by communities and governments to better respond to elder abuse.  A final report of this forum is provided to Ministers Responsible for Seniors across Canada at the federal/provincial and territorial levels.

2008
• The Seniors Advisory Council of Family Service Toronto receives funding from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons program to look at negative and positive affects of aging.  The project, titled Senior Moments, uses creative arts and a Speaker’s Bureau to educate service providers and the general public on the links between ageism and elder abuse.
• The Rotary Club of Toronto provides funding to pilot test the development of a safe haven for older person’s experiencing abuse.  Named Pat’s Place, in honour of former manager Pat Fleming’s pioneering work in this area, the safe haven will open in the fall of 2008. 

 

For appointment please contact our Service Access Unit at 416 595 9618

 

Note: If your browser blocks pop-up windows, please press down the "CTRL" key, hold it and click on the "send this page" button.

 

 

Back to previous page