Understanding Elder Abuse in Australia

Elder abuse is recognised as a very real problem in Australia, as it is in many other countries, but the complex and often hidden nature of the abuse means that there is still limited knowledge of its true extent. 

To gain a greater understanding of the problem, the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) is leading a research project into elder abuse in Australia.

The Elder Abuse National Research Project consists of three components:

• Component One: Develop an Australian definition of “elder abuse”.
• Component Two: Test data collection tools against the definition, to see if it will work for the Australian context
• Component Three: Analyse the data to help answer key questions about the abuse of older people.

Elder abuse can take many different forms, including physical, psychological and financial abuse. Statistical data about the extent of abuse in Australia is limited, but the AIFS estimates that between 2% and 10% of the elderly fall victim every year.

There is real concern that incidences of elder abuse will become more prevalent over time, as the population ages. AIFS projects that by 2050 a fifth of the population will be over the age of 65 and around 5% will over the age of 85. It therefore sees it as a priority to gain a greater understanding of the problem now to help reduce its impact in future years.

“As older people make up an increasing proportion of the Australian population the potential reach of the abuse of older people may grow,” explained Rachel Carson, Manager of the Family Law and Family Violence Team at AIFS.

“To protect older people from abuse, we must first be able to identify and measure the extent of the problem,” she said.

Contact Us

In situations where older people have a genuine decision making disability and need support, Szabo & Associates, Solicitors can help with applications to the NSW Civil & Administrative Tribunal’s Guardianship Division. Applications can include Guardianship orders, Financial Management orders or both. We can also assist you with tailored solutions if the ‘abuse’ you are receiving relates to financial pressures from family members. Please call George Szabo on (02) 9281-5088 today to find out more about how we can help you.