THE federal government will create a national peak body to tackle elder abuse.
Attorney-General George Brandis said the $250,000 funding over two years for Elder Abuse Action Australia would ensure that vulnerable older people were better supported through having their issues addressed and represented in a more co-ordinated and comprehensive manner.
He said work done by the states, while valuable, was fragmented, with resources often difficult to find and obtain.
“Elder abuse is a complex and often hidden problem in Australia,” Mr Brandis said.
“The abuse can take many forms including financial, physical, emotional and sexual.
“For far too long older Australians have had these actions diminish their ability to enjoy their lives with dignity and this too often occurred in silence.”
The new peak body will support the development of a knowledge hub – an online resource to raise awareness of elder abuse and provide information and training materials for the public and professionals about preventing and responding to elder abuse.
The government will also provide $590,000 for the next stage of research by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, which will focus on the prevalence and nature of elder abuse.
It will be done in collaboration with the National Ageing Research Institute, the Social Research Centre at the Australian National University, and the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of NSW.
It will also sponsor the 2018 National Elder Abuse Conference.
Mr Brandis said elder abuse was a problem that required individuals, communities, governments, civil society and the private sector to work together to better protect older people.
Peak body COTA Australia welcomed the funding and the government’s move to further support substantial research into the incidence of elder abuse, which remained far too often “below the radar”.
- If you, or someone you know, is being abused, contact Seniors Rights Victoria, 1300-368-821.
