AustLII Home | Databases | WorldLII | Search | Feedback

Elder Law Review

School of Law, UWS
You are here:  AustLII >> Databases >> Elder Law Review >> 2004 >> [2004] ElderLawRw 4

Database Search | Name Search | Recent Articles | Noteup | LawCite | Help

Hastie, Cheryl --- "Progress in the Fight Against Elder Abuse" [2004] ElderLawRw 4; (2004) 3 Elder Law Review 8


PROGRESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST ELDER ABUSE

CHERYL HASTIE[1]

There has been a growing interest by Governments and professionals in responding effectively to cases of elder abuse. However, only two jurisdictions had taken up this fight until mid this year. These were the Queensland Elder Abuse Prevention Unit and Queensland Seniors Advocacy and Legal Service and the South Australian Aged Rights Advocacy Service which generally responded to this issue. However, the Australian Capital Territory has now joined the ranks of jurisdictions responding to this group of seniors.

I was seconded by the ACT Government to design and assist in implementing its service delivery model for elderly victims of abuse. As of June this year a number of important recommendations on elder abuse have been implemented. These include:

Providing an Elder Abuse Prevention Telephone Line as a central source of information and support for seniors experiencing abuse;
Developing a training resource and training professionals and service providers in implementing appropriate and effective interventions;
Assisting organisations to develop and implement agency protocols that guide their interventions with elderly victims of abuse;
Setting up a boarding house for older women who require accommodation due to having experiencing elder abuse; and
Implementing a whole of government approach to responding to elder abuse.

A number of issues need to be addressed so that older people are afforded the ability to live with dignity and to seek justice when they have been wronged. One issue particularly relates to the paucity of awareness about the prevalence and impact of elder abuse that is often masked in legal cases. Another is that the prevalence of financial abuse may soon be exacerbated with the ageing of the population, and a recent societal trend towards perceiving the elderly as a fiscal resource.

The most exciting aspect of this new service and the interest indicated from other jurisdictions will be the ability to identify trends, including across jurisdictions, through comparison of data and collegial discussions. Ultimately this will increase the safety and dignity of older people, but should also assist successful prosecution of elder abuse cases.


[1] Senior Policy Officer with the Seniors Interests Unit of the Queensland Department of Communities, Queensland (Australia).


AustLII: Copyright Policy | Disclaimers | Privacy Policy | Feedback
URL: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ElderLawRw/2004/4.html