Elder Abuse Awareness Day

As the coronavirus pandemic continues to disproportionately affect more vulnerable demographics, the Government is calling on Victorians to play their part in preventing elder abuse.

Monday June 15th is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. This family violence campaign focuses on the prevention of elder abuse – any act occurring within a relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which results in harm to an older person.

Elder abuse can be financial, physical, emotional, psychological, social or sexual. The campaign highlights the warning signs and encourages neighbours, family, friends, carers and the wider community to take action when it is safe to do so.

The pandemic has led to an increase in physical and social isolation for many older Victorians. Others have had to move back in with family members, or had to support adult children financially or emotionally.

Over 90 per cent of perpetrators of elder abuse in Victoria are related to the older person – a child, grandchild, sibling, partner or other relative. Elder abuse is also gendered, with older women reporting abuse at a far higher rate than men.

Discrimination based on age has no place in our society. By taking notice of what is happening in your family, neighbourhood or community, you can prevent or intervene to stop elder abuse.

 The Victorian Government is working to prevent elder abuse in all its forms to raise awareness of elder abuse and respond to any suspected cases.

Elder abuse is often hidden behind closed doors and we want to remind all Victorians that identifying and stopping elder abuse is everybody’s business.

For more information on the campaign visit respectvictoria.vic.gov.au.

If you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse please call Seniors Rights Victoria on 1300 368 821, or call 000 if they are in immediate danger.

Southern Melbourne Primary Care Partnership (SMPCP) has launched the podcast Rod Quantock gets serious about ageing featuring well-known Australian comedian, speaker and social activist Rod Quantock OAM interviewing experts including Gerard Mansour, the Commissioner for Senior Victorians.

Light in tone yet addressing a serious issue, the podcast delves into the hidden issue of age discrimination and elder abuse.

Rod says “I made the podcast for young and old alike because we as a society need to step up to challenge ageist and sexist attitudes and to empower older people to know their rights and act on them”.

Gerard Mansour says “Ageism is an entrenched inequality for older people and it really is the driver at a cultural and a societal level of elder abuse.”

Listen to podcast