It’s estimated that each year, 15% of older people experience elder abuse. This is an unacceptable violation of the rights of older people. Everyone has a responsibility to help stop elder abuse by recognising the signs of abuse, reporting it, and supporting the older person to get help.
Types of elder abuse
Elder abuse is an action, threat or failure to act that causes harm or distress to an older person. It can happen once or repeatedly. The abuser is usually a family member, carer or provider – someone that the older person should be able to trust.
There are many types of elder abuse:
- Psychological abuse is inflicting mental anguish or creating fear, shame or powerlessness. This is the most common form of abuse.
- Financial abuse is wrongly using an older person’s money or assets, including withholding money or making spending decisions for the older person without their consent.
- Neglect is withholding essential care such as nutritious food, decent accommodation, clothing, emotional support, or medical or dental care.
- Sexual abuse is unwanted sexual behaviour, including rape, indecent assault, sexual harassment and sexually offensive language.
- Social abuse is isolating an older person from their friends, family, and community by limiting or stopping contact and social activities.
- Physical abuse is deliberately causing physical pain or injury. It includes physical coercion and physical restraint.
Recognising elder abuse
As a family member, friend or professional, you may suspect or even see elder abuse happening. Signs of possible elder abuse include:
- unexplained injuries, bruising, soreness or infections
- unexplained weight and health changes
- poor hygiene
- unexplained behaviour changes like detachment, sadness, fear or anxiety
- changes to how someone uses money.
Getting help
If you or someone you know is at risk of or experiencing abuse, there is help available:
- In Victoria, please call us on 1800 700 600.
- Or, if you’re elsewhere in Australia, call the National Elder Abuse Phone Line 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374) to connect to a service in your state or territory.
- In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).
Reporting elder abuse
Aged care providers who become aware of elder abuse must report it under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS). SIRS is a government initiative that requires providers to record and manage serious incidents in residential aged care, including unexpected death, financial coercion and neglect. Elder abuse must be reported, even if the person does not give permission for this.
Learn more
- Abuse of the Older Person: eLearning Program for Health and Aged Care Professionals is an in-depth online training module that shows aged care workers how to identify and report elder abuse.
- Compass is a knowledge hub with detailed information about understanding, preventing and responding to elder abuse.
- The Victoria Police website has information about what the police can do to protect victims of elder abuse, including seeking a Family Violence Safety Notice or Family Violence Intervention Order.
- Australian Human Rights Commission has developed resources and information in 20 languages to raise awareness of the issue and signs of elder abuse, as well as the National Elder Abuse Phone Line 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374).
