World Elder Abuse Awareness Day - 15 June 2020

Everybody has the right to feel safe, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to make their own decisions. Unfortunately, some older people in our community are denied these rights - often by the people who are closest to them.

Monday 15 June 2020 is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD).

WEAAD is held annually as a day to promote respect and dignity for older people and to break the silence and unite against the abuse and suffering inflicted on seniors.

Elder abuse is defined as any act which causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone in a position of trust – most often a family member or friend.

Abuse can take many forms, with Australian figures showing that elderly people are at greatest risk of financial and psychological abuse, followed by physical abuse and neglect.

According to Seniors Rights Victoria, elder abuse is a problem that affects around 154,000 older Australians each year.

With more than 21 per cent of Maroondah’s population over the age of 60, Council is committed to providing a resilient, safe and inclusive community for older residents living in our municipality.

Councillor Nora Lamont said that as one of the most important links to older people in the community, Council is proud to lend its support to this initiative.

“We need to raise awareness and break the silence against many forms of neglect, violence and exploitation that far too many seniors fell victim to,” Cr Lamont said.

Council will be bringing awareness to elder abuse by distributing flyers and postcards through its service centres, Kerrabee Social Support, Delivered Wheels service and other groups who request them.

“Usually, individuals, communities, municipalities and organisations will come together in Australia and across the world to hold events on 15 June that raise awareness of elder abuse. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused a number of those activities to be cancelled. Instead, Council will undertake a digital awareness campaign in support of WEAAD through key messages on social media,” Cr Lamont said.

The digital awareness campaign will be launched on Monday 15 June. Each day for three days, a message highlighting elder abuse will be posted on Council’s social media platforms, along with links to various support services explaining where people can get help.

“As our population ages, the number of people affected will increase, so it’s more important than ever that we raise awareness of elder abuse and challenge negative attitudes towards ageing,” said Cr Lamont.

“Neglect, abuse and bullying, being humiliated, threatened, extorted or pressured about money, these are all acts of elder abuse,” she said.

Some of the reasons that older people may not report abuse include fear of retribution or loss of important relationships from the perpetrator or the victim’s declining cognitive ability.

“Unfortunately, victims of elder abuse are often reluctant to disclose what is happening because they feel shame and embarrassment and want to protect their children, while others may feel responsible for their behaviour or fear reprisals, such as not seeing grandchildren,” Cr Lamont said.

“Older people have the right, as do people of any age, to live safely free from harm, abuse and exploitation. Any actions that breach this right are a form of abuse. Unfortunately, it remains very much a hidden problem, with elderly people often fearful of the consequences of speaking out.

“Also, sadly there may be family, friends and carers who may not know that their actions amount to elder abuse, which often goes unrecognised and unreported, so it’s important that we bring attention to this silent epidemic and social tragedy,” Cr Lamont added. 

Local support is available

Eastern Community Legal Centre (ECLC) has had a focus on the growing prevalence of elder abuse in the community for over a decade; including hosting the largest elder abuse network in Australia. 

The network enables ECLC to work collaboratively with a broad range of health, community and government services, including local councils to respond to and prevent elder abuse.

Where seniors are experiencing or are at risk of abuse, ECLC identifies the key legal, financial and social challenges they face and works with them to consider and choose their options for addressing the abuse and improving their safety and wellbeing.

ECLC helps older people with concerns such as:

misusing a power of attorney or guardianship pressuring someone to sell their property pressuring them to change their will or power of attorney threatening to hurt anyone, neglect of caring responsibilities accessing their bank account without permission.

ECLC’s chief executive Michael Smith says addressing an issue as complex as elder abuse requires a range of strategies.

“In our response teams, Rights of Seniors in the East (ROSE) and Engaging and Living Safely and Autonomously (ELSA), we have great multidisciplinary teams who can support and assist the older person, while respecting their choices,” Mr Smith said.

When it comes to preventing the mistreatment of older people in the first place, Mr Smith says this is a broader community conversation.

“Older people should not have to put interventions in place to protect themselves. We should be creating a society where older people are respected and valued, and abuse towards them isn’t tolerated at all,” he said.

He says instead we should be asking ourselves: What are the things in our society in which it is okay for the abuse of older people to take place, and what is driving the sets of behaviours and attitudes that lead to abuse of older people?

“This has led to the OPERA Project, where with Swinburne University we worked with older community members to focus on the prevention of ageism, discrimination, and the drivers of the abuse of older people,” Mr Smith added.

He said the underlying assumption of the project is that ageism is a driver of elder abuse and that disrupting these ageist assumptions and behaviours is a key part of prevention.

“ECLC actively supports WEAAD and will continue to collaborate to build capacity in the community to prevent the occurrence of elder abuse,” Mr Smith said.

ECLC provides free and confidential legal advice and assistance to older people experiencing or at risk of elder abuse through support services ROSE and ELSA.

ROSE offers support to older people across the eastern metropolitan region through ongoing case management support, advice and referrals based on the client’s wishes and needs. The team comprises a community lawyer, advocate and financial counsellor. ELSA, a partnership with Eastern Health, is dedicated to supporting older people receiving care at Eastern Health.

ECLC’s elder abuse work is supported by the Australian and Victorian governments.

Elder abuse and COVID-19

Seniors Rights Victoria has warned of the potential increase of elder abuse as a result of the economic and unemployment impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).

Jenny Blakey, Manager of Seniors Rights Victoria, said significant economic and emotional pressures on families who did not have funds to pay for their rent, mortgages or bills, could heighten the risk of elder financial abuse of older people.

Financial abuse is the illegal or improper use of a person’s property, finances and other assets without their informed consent or where consent is obtained by fraud or manipulation.

Examples of common financial elder abuse include:

taking money or using an older person’s banking and credit card without consent pressuring an older person to make changes to a will or other legal documents forced transfers of property a family member taking a loan with a promise of repayment but not paying the money back.

Ms Blakey said the protection of financial or personal interests of older people is vital because they may become homeless, in debt, lose money to pay for future aged care and result in a reduced pension. 

“This type of situation can place the older person under great emotional pressure and cause increased anxiety, mental pressure and impact on their health and wellbeing,” she said.

“Older people are essential in the fabric of our society. It’s time for us to acknowledge their importance and recognise they are entitled to the respect of their communities, and especially their families,” Ms Blakey said. 

Where to get help 

If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, contact Seniors Rights Victoria on their free, confidential Helpline on 1300 368 821 Monday to Friday.  

Seniors Rights Victoria will provide legal services and advocacy to any Victorian aged 60 and above, or to any Indigenous Victorian aged 45 and above, on matters relating to elder abuse and ageing. 

If you require support or advice in relation to elder abuse, please phone the Eastern Community Legal Centre on 9762 6235 or 0429 697 960.