Nova Scotia Police Launch Silver Guardian Program to Address Dementia-Related Domestic Violence
The RCMP and Bridgewater Police Service have introduced the Silver Guardian Program in Nova Scotia to provide alternatives to the justice system for individuals with degenerative brain diseases involved in domestic violence incidents. The initiative follows a fatal incident in Mahone Bay last year and rising domestic violence calls linked to an aging population.
The RCMP and the Bridgewater Police Service launched a collaborative initiative called the Silver Guardian Program last week in Nova Scotia. The program aims to offer an alternative to the justice system for individuals charged in relation to domestic violence who are suffering from degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
Police services on the South Shore report that domestic violence calls involving someone with dementia are on the rise due to the aging population. Staff for the Lunenburg County Seniors Safety Program applied for federal funding for the Silver Guardian Project after noticing this trend of domestic violence incidents. The project is managed through the RCMP’s vulnerable person unit.
The initiative resulted from the RCMP reviewing its policies after a man killed his wife and then took his own life in Mahone Bay last year. Under the new approach, police must still lay charges if an assault has occurred, even if it involves someone with a degenerative brain disease. However, officers will ask Crown prosecutors not to pursue the charges, seeking resolutions outside the courtroom.
Individuals in relationships with someone with dementia who feel at risk of abuse can contact police before an incident happens to be connected to support services.