What is elder abuse?
Elder abuse is any act occurring within a relationship of trust which causes harm or distress.
A study by the Australian Institute of Family Studies surveying 7,000 older people between February and May of 2020, found that one in six respondents had experienced abuse in 12 months prior to survey.
In the study, nearly two thirds of older people that experienced abuse said they did not seek help, and the most common form of abuse was psychological, followed by neglect, financial, physical and sexual abuse. More women than men reported experiencing abuse, with women more likely to experience neglect, psychological abuse, or sexual abuse.
People with poor physical and mental health and socially isolated more likely to experience elder abuse, and the perpetrators of abuse are family members and mostly adult children, but can be friends, neighbours and acquaintances.
Types of elder abuse
Financial: Forced changes to legal documents; Misappropriation of money or other assets.
Physical: Slapping, kicking, hitting, bruising; Use of physical restraints
Social: Preventing contact with family or friends; Preventing contact with family or friends
Sexual: Sexual assault or harassment; Inappropriate touching
Emotional: Psychological. Verbal intimidation and humiliation; Threats of various forms
Neglect: Failure to provide the necessities of life; Limiting access to aged care services.
Here are the top ten tips to help reduce your risk
- Do not accept elder abuse. Have ‘zero tolerance’ to elder abuse. Understand and protect your rights
- Stay connected to family, friends and services
- Seek advice if you have concerns
- Future planning is important. Don’t wait for a crisis, think about ‘risks’ and what could go wrong
- Consider key legal documents. For example think about a Power of Attorney, Medical Treatment Decision Maker, a will, Advance care plan and Advance care directive
- Make your wishes and expectations known – have the ‘challenging’ conversation
- Don’t be pressured or intimidated into immediate decisions
- Confirm arrangements in writing but don’t sign documents under duress or pressure
- Take care if considering access to, or transfer of, assets
- Act if you have immediate concerns for safety. Remember to call 000 if you or someone is in immediate danger.
If you fear for your safety or that of someone else, please contact the police in your state or territory, or call Triple Zero (000) for emergency help. The police can also make referrals for support for you. Visit the Elder abuse information page on the Victoria Police .
Where to seek support
The following helplines can provide confidential information and family violence support or referral. Please note you can seek help or support even if you are a migrant or a refugee or do not have permanent residency:
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – a 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line for any Australian who has experienced or is at risk of experiencing family violence or sexual assault. Visit the 1800Respect .
Safe Steps (1800 015 188) – a 24-hour family violence response centre for anyone in Victoria who has experienced or is at risk of experiencing family violence. Visit the Safe Steps .
Seniors Rights Victoria (1300 368 821) – a specialist elder abuse service and helpline operating between 10.00 am and 5.00 pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Visit the Seniors Rights Victoria
Financial Counselling Victoria (03 9663 2000) - Financial counsellors provide free, independent and non-judgemental information, advice, advocacy and support to people experiencing or at risk of financial difficulty. Visit the Financial Counselling Victoria
Better Place Australia (1800 639 523) - A service to help people become more resilient, to empower them to enjoy healthier relationships by building their skills and knowledge, and supporting people through challenging times. Visit the Better Place Australia
Victoria Legal Aid (1300 792 387) Monday to Friday 9am-5pm free telephone advice in a range of languages. Visit the Victoria legal aid .
Compass Guiding Action on Elder abuse (1800 353 374). Visit the Compass
More resources and information
Read about Eastern Community Legal Service, Elder Abuse Project on the Eastern Community legal centre
Watch Eastern Community Legal Service's film Behind the
Visit the Ethnic Communities Council of Victoria and watch Within my Walls film in a range of languages other than English This short film series is a community education resource that explores the lives of older people in suburban Melbourne who have been impacted by mistreatment by their family.
The five videos are intended to encourage discussion about seniors’ rights and elder abuse. They address stigma about accepting help outside the family, not knowing where to go for help and increased dependency on adult children due to migration. The series is available in 14 languages.
Reviewed 28 January 2024