practical living
Protection
for the
purse
Financial abuse
of older people
is on the rise;
a trustworthy,
competent
attorney is
an essential
safeguard.
By Sandy Probert
W
ith at least 5 per cent of
Australia’s elderly reporting
some form of physical,
social, financial, emotional or sexual
mistreatment, elder abuse is not the rare
and incomprehensible act you would
naturally presume.
In fact it can be systematic, it can be
hurtful and for some, it is very, very real.
With family members frequently
the perpetrators of elder abuse, the
topic is often shrouded in secrecy and
shame. By its definition, elder abuse is
the mistreatment of an older person
committed by someone with whom the
person has a relationship of trust. This
simple fact makes the abuse difficult for a
third party to identify and even harder for
the victim to admit, accept and report.
As the population ages, the number
of vulnerable people increases, meaning
that elder abuse is becoming one of the
most serious social issues affecting older
Australians today. In the 10 years to June
2011, the number of people aged 85 and
over in Australia increased by more than
40 per cent.
From community education and
awareness through to advice on spotting
the early warning signs, it’s time a light was
shone on this dark and difficult topic.
26 agedcareinsite.com.au