Summary
- Elder abuse is an act that causes harm to an older person, carried out by someone the older person knows and trusts.
- If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call 000.
- Help is available if you are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, elder abuse. Call Senior Rights Victoria’s free helpline on 1300 368 821 from 10am–5pm, Monday to Friday. If you require an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to call the helpline.
About elder abuse
Elder abuse is a form of family violence. It is an act that causes harm to an older person, carried out by someone the older person knows and trusts.
It can take many forms, including:
Elder abuse can include one or a combination of these different types of abuse. Learn more about how to identify these forms of abuse on Seniors Rights .
All forms of abuse are unacceptable. Elder abuse can affect anyone, irrespective of background, gender, ethnicity or means.
Elder abuse can happen in any kind of family or relationship.
Research shows that up to 15 per cent of older people may be experiencing elder abuse. The real number is estimated to be much higher because elder abuse is often under reported.
There’s no place for elder abuse in our community.
Where to seek help
Your safety and wellbeing are important. Never feel ashamed to ask for help for yourself, or someone you care about.
Seniors Rights is a confidential service staffed by qualified and experienced people who can provide advice, information and support to older people experiencing elder abuse.
Help is available if you are experiencing, or are at risk of experiencing, elder abuse. Call Senior Rights Victoria’s free helpline on 1300 368 821 from 10am–5pm, Monday to Friday. If you require an interpreter, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450 and ask them to call the helpline.
If you are a concerned friend or family member, please encourage the older person to call Seniors Rights Victoria, or you can access information and online.
If you or someone you know is in an emergency, call 000.
The Victorian Government funds Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria to deliver the Seniors Rights Victoria program to provide information, support, legal advice and education to help prevent elder abuse and safeguard the rights, dignity and independence of older people.
Resources for multicultural communities
The Victorian Government has provided funding to the Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) to work in partnership with Seniors Rights to raise community awareness of elder abuse in multicultural communities.
- Brochures on elder abuse are available for download in 17 languages: Arabic, Bosnian, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Croatian, Filipino, Greek, Hindi, Macedonian, Polish, Punjabi, Serbian, Spanish, Russian, Tamil, Turkish and Vietnamese.
- Within My is a community education short film about elder abuse that explores the lives of older people in suburban Melbourne who have been impacted by mistreatment by their family. The series is available in 14 languages.
For more information visit the project website Elder abuse prevention in multicultural and the Respect website.
Reviewed 13 June 2024