Elder abuse on the rise in NSW

Demand for support services to address elder abuse is on the rise in NSW, with a 374 per cent increase over three years in clients receiving elder abuse mediation or support, Relationships Australia NSW (RANSW) announced today.

The increased demand for elder abuse services is being felt across the state, and mirrors increasing demand for other support services such as counselling and domestic violence services.

The 374 per cent increase was from FY19, when RANSW’s elder abuse program Let’s Talk was established, to FY21. The client base grew from 43 clients to 204 over that three-year period.  

Financial pressure on families with housing becoming less affordable and people dealing with the economic and social impacts of COVID, are all likely contributors to the crisis.

RANSW CEO, Elisabeth Shaw, said elder abuse can take many forms and is a complicated issue for older Australians.

“Elder abuse can be perpetrated by any family member, but most often involves children or grandchildren trying to nudge their way into an early inheritance,” Ms Shaw said.

“Often the older person is embarrassed and doesn’t identify or doesn’t want to admit that they are experiencing a type of abuse, which adds another layer of complexity to the issue. The older person is likely to be very dependent on family members and fear being seen to be too much trouble or abandoned.

“And most commonly the older person wants the abuse to stop, but for contact with the family member to continue, which is where services such as ours can help.

“We thank the NSW Government for funding our program to date and enabling us to provide this service – but we are reaching a potential funding cliff early next year and we need more support.”

RANSW provides the only early intervention mediation and counselling service for older people and their family, which is focused on protecting the interests, rights and safety of an older person.

But funding for services like these has been historically piecemeal and inconsistent, with funding for RANSW’s unique pilot service nearing an end, despite high need being demonstrated. No ongoing funding has been identified.

“Older Australians are one of the most vulnerable cohorts in Australia – and we cannot walk away from our responsibility to protect them when they need us the most.

“That’s why we are calling on the NSW Government to prioritise more funding for this service, and others, which are so important in protecting the rights of older people as they age.

“Older people need protection from financial abuse, and also psychological, physical, social and even sexual abuse. Services like ours are a part of the solution and they need to be securely funded.”