Elder abuse is one of those topics many of us might prefer to believe didn’t exist.
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Unfortunately, it is very much a reality in Australia – with one in six older Australians likely to be victims of it. Two thirds of those do not report the abuse, which is especially likely when it is perpetrated by a family member, and particularly the person’s adult child or children.
This is a sobering reality, and one we explore in this conversation with integratedliving Australia Psychologist, Daniela, who explains the main forms of elder abuse in more detail. According to the Federal Government’s National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study released in December 2021, elder abuse affects 15% of older Australians, and can take the following forms, with its prevalence also listed:
- Psychological abuse (11.7%)
- Neglect (2.9%)
- Financial abuse (2.1%)
- Physical abuse (1.8%)
- Sexual abuse (1%)
What is also particularly important in this podcast conversation is the exploration of those subtler forms of abuse that some of us may not be aware are indeed abusive. Things such as preventing older people from driving their cars; changing or rearranging their homes without their permission; restricting them to or from certain places or people; and so on.
Daniela explains how to recognise where values clashes may lead to unintentional abuse, and why so many victims of elder abuse have trouble reporting the abuse when it is perpetrated by those close to them, especially their adult children.
This is an important conversation and an issue we all need to be aware of, and do our bit to prevent.
You can also call the National Elder Abuse Helpline on 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374). 1800ELDERHelp automatically redirects callers seeking information or advice on elder abuse to their state or territory phone line service. If you require assistance in an emergency or life-threatening situation, you should dial 000.