Elder Abuse

The World Health Organization defines elder abuse as a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person.

Elder abuse can be physical, financial, psychological or emotional, neglect or sexual. Abuse may include restricting access to a person’s money or family, verbal threats, pushing or inappropriately restraining someone, misusing a power of attorney, forcing a person to change their will or transfer their property to someone else.

Abuse can be deliberate or unintentional. It can occur once or several times.

Physical abuse
Financial abuse
Psychological or emotional abuse
Sexual abuse
Neglect
Social isolation

Everybody has the right to feel safe, to be treated with dignity and respect, and to make their own decisions. Some older people are denied these rights, often by the people who are closest to them.

Elder abuse often occurs in complex and highly distressing circumstances. The abuse can be financial, psychological, emotional, physical or sexual. It can also involve deliberate social isolation or neglect.

ECLC identifies the key legal, financial and social challenges faced by an older person and provides them with options for addressing the abuse and improving their safety and well being.

ECLC helps older people with abuse concerns on matters such as:

ECLC's Elder Abuse Response Services, ROSE (Rights of Seniors in the East) and ELSA (Engaging & Living Safely & Autonomously), provide free and confidential legal advice and assistance to older people experiencing or at risk of elder abuse. ROSE, a partnership with Oonah Belonging Place, provides assistance to older people across the Eastern Metropolitan Region while ELSA, a partnership with Eastern Health, is dedicated to supporting older people receiving care at Eastern Health.

ECLC acknowledges the funding support of the Australian Government for the ROSE and ELSA programs.