Primary Prevention Initiative – Elder Abuse

“While we have a sound evidence base for the prevention of violence against women, we know less about what causes, and what works to reduce other forms of family violence including elder abuse…”

(Free From Violence, Victorian Government)

The purpose of the project:

• To understand insight and knowledge about how ageism is expressed in the community and how ageism is experienced. This includes the direct impacts of ageism on older people living and working in the eastern metropolitan of Melbourne.
• To help build the capacity of the health and community sector and eastern communities to address the issues of elder abuse by drawing on this research and ECLC experiences of primary prevention strategies.
• To develop with Swinburne University an innovative digital intervention that captures and promotes the key issues for older people as identified in the project.

Project outcomes:

Phase I:

• Consultation using co-design methodology with older people living in the eastern areas of Melbourne to understand their experiences of ageism and the impacts of becoming an older person in our society.
• Final report highlighting consultation outcomes and to inform the development of the digital intervention/product.

Phase II:

• Production of a digital intervention to raise awareness and increase an understanding of ageism in everyday life and the drivers of elder abuse as they may impact on older people.
• Led by Swinburne University, Phase 11 will involve older people who have expressed an interest in contributing to the content and production of the digital intervention.

For more information, please contact:

Jill Exon, Project Coordinator, Preventing Elder Abuse Project, Eastern Access Community Health

Phone: 1300 32 52 00 or email OPERA

Visit the OPERA website

Also see:

Free From Violence, Victoria’s strategy to prevent family violence and all forms of violence against women

Senior Rights Victoria: Ageing Without Fear – Elder Abuse as Family Violence discussion papers

Project partners: