The Australian Government is launching a national campaign to raise awareness about the abuse of older people.
Abuse of older people is a shameful and often hidden form of cruelty and mistreatment.
In addition to physical abuse, elder abuse can involve psychological or emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse or neglect.
The ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Elder Abuse Prevalence Study, published in December 2021, found that one in six older Australians had experienced abuse in the previous 12 months. The study also found that most people (61%) who experienced abuse did not seek help or advice, indicating that this remains a largely hidden issue.
The campaign, ‘Ending the abuse of older people begins with a conversation’ aims to encourage conversations within the community on this issue and increase awareness that there is help and support available.
This includes both informal support through friends, family and the broader community, and more formal support through the Australian Government-funded 1800ELDERHelp phone line and compass.info website.
Beginning next Sunday (28 July), the campaign will run across Australian television, online channels and in health clinics until early November. It has been informed by significant research and testing, including hearing from diverse older voices across our community.
The investment of $4.8 million in this campaign delivers on a key priority identified under the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) 2019-2023 to increase community awareness and access to information on this issue.
The Australian Government is committed to addressing the abuse of older people in all its forms, be it physical, psychological, sexual, financial or neglect. This campaign is one element among a range of important initiatives occurring across all levels of government and the broader community under the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Plan framework.
It is critical that we continue to work together as a community to promote the rights and safety of older people, and ensure that everyone is able to age with dignity and respect.
The campaign materials, including those tailored towards First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, can be viewed at the website.
Reading about abuse can bring up strong feelings. For 24/7 support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 13YARN (13 92 76) for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander crisis support.
If you experience, witness or suspect elder abuse, you can call the ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Elder Abuse phone number 1800ELDERHelp (1800 353 374) for free and confidential information, support and referrals. Please note this is not a crisis support line and opening hours vary across states and territories.
