Established in September 2014 by Advocare and funded by the State Government, the helpline is a valuable resource for seniors who may have fallen victim to harm by a family member or friend.
Announcing the extra funding Seniors and Volunteering Minister Tony Simpson said the grant would enable Advocare to continue managing the Elder Abuse Helpline until December 2017.
"There are as many as 50,000 people in Western Australia aged over 60 who have experienced physical, financial or psychological abuse by a family member or friend," Mr Simpson said.
"The Elder Abuse Helpline provides a single point of contact for those affected, offers advice, and facilitates referral and triage to other services when necessary."
The Minister said a recent evaluation of the helpline by the Department of Local Government and Communities indicated the service had been used frequently since its establishment and had helped many seniors in unfortunate situations.
"The most common reasons for calls to the helpline are in relation to financial and psychological abuse," he said. "I encourage anyone who feels they may be a victim of elder abuse to contact the helpline for advice."
Tony Simpson