Help raise the alarm about elder abuse

So why does elder abuse continue to happen and why is this situation so dire that the United Nations feels compelled to nominate a day decrying it?

There is no doubt that our lifestyles are becoming increasingly complex as many of us push ourselves far beyond our limits in order to “get ahead.” In our busy lives, many of us tend to view older people as an unfashionable afterthought or even a confronting reminder of our own mortality and impending vulnerability. As our parents age, for instance, the exchanging of roles from carer to the ones needing care is often frightening, difficult and sometimes very wearing on the younger generation.

This is not an excuse to abuse our elderly.

We need to begin talking more honestly about ageing and what this means to us if we are seriously address the epidemic of elder abuse that is devastating the lives of some of the most vulnerable in our society.

A solid commitment and investment needs to be made by governments and communities to bring this issue into the public domain and promote the rights of older people.

Legislation introduced by the Commonwealth last year means our nursing homes and aged care hostels must now report any suspected or proven cases of physical and sexual abuse of their residents, giving some protection to older people who live in residential care facilities. However, this legislation does not take into account the many other forms of abuse that occur within these settings, nor the increasing trend of older people opting to live independently in their own homes or with their families. As Tony’s case illustrates, it is within home environments that many of the worst cases of elder abuse occur.

Acknowledging this trend, the Victorian Government has invested in an elder abuse prevention strategy to be lead by a new service launched today called Senior Rights Victoria. Senior Rights Victoria has been operating for approximately six weeks, having fielded about 200 telephone enquiries to date. It provides information, education and legal advice for older Victorians and the wider community about elder abuse.

Despite this, more needs to be done to educate and support older people about elder abuse, as many older Victorians fail to access such services for a myriad of reasons including geographic or social isolation and language and cultural barriers.

June 15 was about taking the time to think about how we relate to older people and how we expect to be treated as we grow older. This is something that must continue and questions that we must ask ourselves every day if we want to start the process of ensuring that people like Tony aren’t forced to suffer in silence, but find the courage and support to live out their lives with the dignity and respect they so richly deserve.

* Names have been changed in this article.