Senior Crisis Team

What is the Senior Crisis Team (SCT)?

The Senior Crisis Team is a special team of TIP volunteers who provide immediate support to seniors in crisis. SCT provides immediate, in-home, crisis intervention services designed to help seniors recover from unexpected crisis events. Additionally, SCT may be called to assist disoriented or isolated seniors who are referred by concerned emergency responders.

Why the Senior Crisis Team?

Seniors are resilient and have coped with crisis events throughout their lives. However, when an unexpected crisis event strikes a frail, disoriented, isolated, or depressed senior, the effects can be devastating. These vulnerable seniors may not have the physical strength, the financial resources, or the social support to begin rebuilding their lives after crisis events.

How the Senior Crisis Team Works

Often, emergency responders are the first to be called to help seniors in crisis. Firefighters respond to assist seniors when medical emergencies or death occurs. Police officers are called by neighbors and family members to check on the welfare of isolated or disoriented seniors. Although emergency responders can help seniors in acute crisis and can identify those with chronic problems, they don’t have the time or resources to provide ongoing assistance. Emergency responders call the Senior Crisis Team to help seniors in crisis.

When the Senior Crisis Team Is Called

The Senior Crisis Team can be called after any type of crisis event. Following are examples of when the Senior Response Team is called:

• to support a senior after the death of a lifelong spouse
• to assist a senior crime victim to support a disoriented senior who is referred by concerned emergency personnel
• to assist a senior following the suicide of her spouse to help a senior with a chronic disease who frequently calls 911 for non emergency help
• to support seniors who are traumatized by a major crisis event in a senior center, nursing home, or other senior housing facility.

Services Provided By the Senior Crisis Team

On scene crisis support: SCT responds on a 24-hour, 365-day a year basis whenever a senior in crisis needs help.

1. Home visitation: SCT volunteers will provide in home emotional and practical assistance to frail or homebound seniors in the days and weeks following the crisis event
2. SeniorConnection: SCT volunteers will serve as a bridge between seniors in crisis and the many community services available to seniors. SCT provides a senior Resource Manual to emergency responders, seniors, and family members.
3. Critical Incident Response: The Senior Crisis Team is mobilized when a crisis event occurs in a senior center, a senior housing complex, or a residential care facility