Are you wearing something purple?

Today is world elder abuse awareness day – and various organisations in Australia and around the world are doing their best to use the opportunity to raise awareness of the issue.

By Stephen Easton

Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), a United Nations effort to urge people all over the world to confront and combat the mistreatment and marginalisation of older people.

WEAAD supporters have been encouraged to start conversations about the uncomfortable subject by wearing something purple, and various events have been arranged for the occasion, including the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Conference, held yesterday in Adelaide by the Aged Rights Advocacy Service.

And last week, UnitingCare Community held the inaugural Elder Abuse Prevention National Conference in Brisbane with the theme, ‘New Directions in Elder Abuse Prevention’. 

Reports of elder abuse to the Elder Abuse Prevention Helpline (1300 651 192) are on the increase, according to Les Jackson, coordinator of UnitingCare Community’s Elder Abuse Prevention Unit, which operates the state-wide telephone information, support and referral service for anyone experiencing or witnessing elder abuse, for the cost of a local call from any landline in Queensland.

“Large amounts of financial abuse is being reported with close to four million dollars recorded for last financial year, with amounts ranging from $500 to $500,000, however most callers do not give an amount, just [statements like] ‘my brother managed to get Mum’s house when she was in hospital’, and many other similar stories,” Mr Jackson said in a statement.

A particularly large case of financial elder abuse involving millions of dollars was the starting point for a discussion of elder abuse on the ABC Radio program, The World Today, in which it was suggested that a new federal commissioner was needed to deal with all elder abuse cases in a central location.

Most elder abuse is often said to happen within families and other tight-knit social groups, and a number of organisations concerned with seniors rights are making the most of the opportunity to raise awareness.

Elder abuse can refer to a broad range of situations beyond the more obvious meaning of the word ‘abuse’, where an older person is taken advantage of, ignored or marginalised, in many cases because they are seen as an easy target by someone they trusted.

Jenny Blakey, manager of Seniors Rights Victoria, suggested it was important to encourage older people themselves to stand up for their “right to live with dignity and safety”.

“Abuse of older people is a hidden issue, often occurring behind closed doors between family members,” Ms Blakey said in a statement.

“Until very recently elder abuse was barely recognized in public discussions of violence in families. Since the establishment of services to empower seniors and advocate for their rights, more older people are speaking out about their experiences of abuse.

“Elder abuse is any act which causes harm to an older person and is often carried out by someone in a relationship of trust, such as families and friends. It may involve taking someone’s money or possessions, not providing necessary care, making threats or stopping an older person’s social contacts, as well as physical or sexual abuse.”

National Seniors Australia believes that many people don’t know what elder abuse is, or if they do, they don’t want to talk about it.

Chief executive of the seniors advocacy group, Michael O’Neill, said in a statement that even something as simple as stopping children from visiting their grandparents could be elder abuse. 

“Or it could be that adult children are putting pressure on their parents to sell their home or give them money or property, which the parents have worked [for] all their lives and have a right to enjoy unhindered,” he continued.

“These situations are only going to become more common as the population ages and so it is high time older and often vulnerable Australians are empowered and treated with the compassion, justice and respect they deserve.”

AAA has even received a glimpse of how the problem manifests itself in Nepal, in a special ‘WEAAD edition’ newsletter from the non-profit organisation Reaping Hope, which tries to help elderly people “claim their rights, challenge discrimination and overcome poverty so that they can lead dignified, secure, active and healthy lives”.

Tags: elder-abuse,

1 thought on “Are you wearing something purple?

  1. Report after report of abuse and neglect at the hands of aged care providers.Many residents cannot speak up for fear of retribution.

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