15 June is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), an opportunity to promote awareness of elder abuse and its profound impacts on the health, wellbeing and independence of older people in our community. This day also offers the chance to reflect on our role as a health provider in identifying and responding to this form of family violence.
What is elder abuse?
Elder abuse is the mistreatment of an older person, typically by someone the older person has a relationship of trust, such as a family member, partner, carer, friend or neighbour. The controlling and abusive behaviours can take many forms including financial abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect.
Elder abuse is often undisclosed and significantly underreported. It is important to familiarise yourself with the signs of elder abuse (e.g. pressuring a person to sign documents) and understand the process of responding to elder abuse.
This form of abuse knows no boundaries when it comes to gender, education level, geographic location, or cultural background. As our population continues to age, it is expected that the incidence of abuse toward older people will increase. It is a global issue that impacts millions of people.
Join us online
To learn more about elder abuse and acknowledge WEAAD, join us Monday 19 June at 2pm via Webex. We will be joined by Julie Dewberry, a Financial Information Officer with the Community Engagement Program for Commonwealth Financial Information Service. Julie will discuss the financial implications of gifting money to adult children and the pitfalls of assets for care agreements. As professionals, it will help us increase our knowledge and practice skills to work with older people experiencing financial abuse.
Learn more about our role
To understand the role we play at Monash Health or to learn more about responding to suspected elder abuse you can:
- Contact Monash Health Elder Abuse Liaison Officer, Selina Nivelle for advice or support on 0431 453 950 or Selina.Nivelle@monashhealth.org
- Read the Monash Health Family Violence Clinical Guideline which can be downloaded from Prompt.
- Visit the Monash Health elder abuse intranet page.
- Complete your training on Latte.
- Visit the Seniors Right Victoria website.
- Visit the Australian Human Rights Commission website.
Everyone has the right to be treated equally, regardless of age or gender.
Approved by Adjunct Professor Katrina Nankervis, Executive Director, Nursing and Midwifery