AUSTRALIA | As elder abuse cases continue throughout the community, COTA has urged the Federal Government to deliver a stronger national plan.
The Federal Government must deliver stronger national action to prevent elder abuse, provide meaningful support to victims, and support older people facing family and domestic violence, the Council on the Ageing Australia (COTA) said.
The call marked World Elder Abuse Day, Sunday, 15 June.
Acting Chief Executive of COTA Australia, the leading advocacy organisation for older people, Corey Irlam, said the statistics around elder abuse in Australia are shocking.
“More than one in six older Australians will experience elder abuse, and over 60 percent of older people don’t seek help, often because they fear retaliation, isolation, or not being believed,” Irlam said.
“Elder abuse can have devastating consequences, including physical harm, mental health decline, cognitive impairment, premature death and financial devastation.”
Irlam said that too often, the abuse comes from someone they know and trust. It’s happening in homes and families across the country, but it remains hidden. He said this needed to be faced, with funded responses, and taken seriously.
COTA Australia has called on the Federal Government to ensure the upcoming National Plan to End the Abuse and Mistreatment of Older People 2024–2034 includes clear, funded commitments.
“We need tailored support services for older people, especially older women,” Irlam said.
“That includes older women experiencing late-life domestic violence or coercive control, a group that’s often invisible in both family and domestic violence and aged care systems.”
Irlam added that while there was much to do in Australia to address the scourge of elder abuse, the Federal Government should be commended for its international leadership when it comes to protecting the rights of older people.
“We really welcome Australia’s role in pushing for stronger protections for older people globally,” he said.
“Australia co-sponsored the recent UN resolution to develop a new international convention on the rights of older persons and we’re looking forward to seeing Australia actively participate in the working group drafting the convention.”
Cota said it encouraged the Government to continue its leadership in the international community and make sure that civil society organisations, including older people themselves, have a role to play in shaping the convention.
“Australia is certainly doing the right thing on the world stage, but at home, too many older people are still falling through the cracks. This World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, we’re saying clearly: older people deserve safety, dignity and real support. It’s time to act.”
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