Tenancy Risk Reduction Service for Seniors: An Initiative Funded by - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Tenancy Risk Reduction Service for Seniors: An Initiative Funded by the Ontario Local Poverty Reduction Fund

Agenda

• Project Background
• Program Overview
• Program Components
• Program Eligibility
• Program Operations and Referral Processes
• Research and Evaluation
• Client Stories – Victoria

Project Background

• In 2014, CHATS first teamed up with YSSN and VHA , with one year

funding from the Region of York, to design and deliver a program to support seniors with hoarding issues at risk of losing their tenancy.

 This first small project supported just under 40 seniors and showed some excellent initial outcomes.  Sample size small yet we were able to demonstrate that this collaborative model

• f providing:
• Intensive case management, physical clutter reduction and therapy intervention

improved quality of life.

• In late 2015, the same partnership applied for and was successful in

receiving funding from the Ontario Local Poverty Reduction Fund for a two year initiative.

• This longer and larger pilot also includes partners at York University, who

are formally evaluating the program.

Program Overview

• Tenancy Risk Reduction Service for Seniors (TRSS) provides a basket of

services to seniors with hoarding behaviours and to seniors living in a condition known as senior squalor, who are at risk of losing their tenancy (renters) or their housing (owners) because of the unsafe living conditions.

• This initiative addresses the symptoms and the causes of these

conditions—the person and the property.

• Individualized service plans and customized teams are developed to meet

each client’s unique needs.

Program Components

• Program is delivered over the course of approximately six months for each

client.

• Components include but are not limited to the following:

 Assessment and Care Coordination (CHATS)  Geriatric Mental Health Case Management

 (YSSN)

 Physical Clutter Remediation (CHATS)  Intensive Cleaning (CHATS/VHA)  Occupational Therapy (VHA)  Education and Training (All)  Client Advocacy (All)

Program Eligibility

• TRSS is targeted at frail and cognitively impaired York Region seniors who are

at “risk” of increased poverty and homelessness due to hoarding behaviours and/or senior squalor.

• For the purpose of this initiative, “at risk“ is defined as:

 Risk of tenancy loss/housing loss due to inability to maintain home in conditions that are considered safe. e.g. in receipt of warning, eviction notice from landlord, warning/order from municipal/regional services  Risk of home environment being designated as “unsafe to provide care”, limiting access to health care and reducing ability to remain safely at home in the community.  Risk of illness and accidents for the client, due to general level of housing disrepair combined with client frailty.

Program Operations and Referral Process

August 19, 2016 Page 1

CHATS

Referral Intake Phone Referral by CHATS Coordinators Written Referral Form Establish Electronic File Program Coordinator (CHATS) Clean – Extreme / Comprehensive (VHA) Home support worker intervention (CHATS) Advocacy (all) OT – Consultation

• Short term

intervention, 4 visits (VHA) Minor Repairs (CHATS) Team and care plan established Care coordination check-in Progress Monitoring Discharge Referral to other service 3 month follow up Referral or Exit Initial Phone Screen by CHATS Intake: Eligible? *age * income *situation *risk Referral or Exit Initial face to face visit and comprehensive intake assessment Link to primary care Referral to other services Case Management

• 3-6 month service
• Complete OCAN
• Complete crisis plan

(YSSN)

Referral Form

TENANCY RISK REDUCTION SERVICE TO SENIORS REFERRAL FORM

Please fax or e-mail to CHATS – Community & Home Assistance to Seniors at Fax: 905-713-1705, E-mail: kchai@chats.on.ca For any questions or concerns, please call CHATS at 905-713-6596 or 1-877-452-4287 (toll-free)

• ** This program serves seniors (55 years or older) who are residents of York Region with low or moderate household income (no more than

$40,000/annual for 1 person or $50,000 for 2 persons).

• Referrer Details

Name: Contact information: Relationship to client: Organization/Agency: Client Details Name: Salutation: Preferred name (if different from first name): Phone number: Cell phone number: E-mail address:

City: Province: Postal code: Building access #: Major intersection:

Research and Evaluation

• TRSS is an innovative project, funded by the Ontario Local Poverty Reduction Fund as a test of a new

program model designed to reduce poverty and homelessness.

• Just over 40 projects were funded across Ontario.
• With the focus of formally testing/evaluating a model of service for transferability and applicability to other

jurisdictions, the project has a very strong research component.

• CHATS and our partners at YSSN and VHA are working closely with the Program Evaluation Unit at the

York Institute for Health Research at York University.

• The research is focused on testing a Model of Change that addresses the following two questions:

 Does building community capacity to identify and support vulnerable seniors keep seniors in their homes longer?  What aspects of a multi-ponged approach are most effective in improving the health and well- being of seniors identified as having problematic hoarding behaviours?

• The research includes both an individual component and a systems level component.
• Many of you may have received a systems level survey…this is targeted as assessing your current

knowledge, to give us a baseline.

Client Stories

• Every client’s level of hoarding/clutter behaviour varies. One client not only

has cluttering behaviour inside the home, but also outside (by-law- enforcement officer involved due to neighbourhood complaint)

 CM assisted client is riding of all clutter on front lawn (interlocking bricks, statues, fountains, miniature fixtures, etc.)  Client was connected with HAMP to assist in whipper-snipping front yard  Client is now working on landscaping her yard to her liking to the best of her ability and complaint was not filed.

Geriatric Case Management

• Advocacy – with landlords, by-law enforcement officers, etc.
• Psychosocial rehabilitation approach

 Utilize bio-psycho-social model for depressive symptoms & hoarding behaviour  Many of these seniors experience isolation due to the state of their home (refrain from inviting people over, embarrassed, ashamed).  CM to assist them in building up their social networks again and connecting them with others.  Emotional support – family issues/trauma that has led them into their current situation (family breakdown, mental health symptoms)

Geriatric Case Management- Models of Change

• Harm Reduction:

 Every step is a step to be recognized and celebrated

• CBT Techniques:

 Providing a weekly goal planner sheet to create goals about what tasks they would like to complete (regarding taking care of the home) between the time that the HSW comes again  Discussing the importance of certain items, what it means to them, along with the positives that will come out of them discarding that object.  Support client to reevaluate their thinking about the actual vs. imagined importance of the item and to gain a new perspective on the realistic consequences of not having that item

• Case Managers, please refer clients who you think will be a good fit with the

program 

Key Contact

• Program Coordinator, Tenancy Risk Reduction Services
• CHATS – Community & Home Assistance to Seniors
• 240 Edward Street, Suite 1
• Aurora, Ontario L4G 3S9
• Office: 905-713-3373 ext. 6082
• Cell: 905-751-5715
• kchai@chats.on.ca

Questions?

Gaynor McCredie – Project Manager 905.713.3373 x 6227 Kitty Chai – Program Coordinator 905.713.3373 x 6082