World Elder Abuse Awareness Day: Crossing The Line

Concerned about the growing rate of elder abuse, the United Nations General Assembly introduced World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

© Danielle Robertson Consulting Pty Ltd t/as DR Care Solutions

Taking place on 15 June each year, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day^[1] promotes better understanding of elder abuse with the aim of preventing it.

Elder abuse is defined as “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust that causes harm or distress to an older person.”^[2]

In a study^[3] conducted in 2021 involving 7,000 Australians over the age of 65, one in six Australians reported elder abuse in the prior 12 months.

That study found the mistreatment can be emotional or psychological (12%^[4]), financial (2%), physical (2%), sexual (1%), and/or involve neglect (3.6%). Its most common perpetrators are family members in the 35 to 54-year age group.

The frontline witnesses

While identifying elder abuse can be difficult, health and aged care professionals like myself are often the first people to suspect or witness it.

For assistance on addressing the issue, call the Elder Abuse Hotline^[5] (free call 1800 ELDERHelp or 1800 353 374) and seek out the many resources^[6] on offer.

Are you perpetrating emotional or psychological abuse as a carer?

The role of being the family member responsible for the care of an elderly loved one can be draining and stressful. When it all gets too much, those carers concerned about their own mental and physical health call on me to bring professional and objective advice on caring for their loved one.

On reflecting on some of your most frustrating days as a carer, you may be concerned that you may have inflicted the most common mistreatment - emotional or psychological abuse. For a better understanding, the behaviours and warning signs of such abuse are listed below.

Emotional or psychological abuse^[7]

Behaviours of the abuser:

• Name calling, and verbal abuse.

• Treating the adult like a child.

• Threatening harm to the adult, other people or pets.

• Engaging in emotional blackmail such as threatening to withdraw access to grandchildren, family, friends, services or telephone.

• Threats to place an older person in an aged care facility.

• Preventing contact with family and friends.

• Denying access to the phone or computer or withholding mail.

• Preventing a person from engaging in religious or cultural practices.

• Moving the person far away family or friends.

Warning signs in the abused

• Any one of the following: resignation, shame, depression, tearfulness, confusion, agitation.

• Feelings of helplessness.

• Unexplained paranoia or excessive fear.

• A change in appetite or sleep patterns, such as insomnia.

• Unusual passivity or anger.

• Sadness or grief at the loss of interactions with others.

• Withdrawal or listlessness due to a lack of visitors.

• A change to levels of self-esteem.

• Worry or anxiety after a visit by a specific person/people.

• Social isolation.

If you are aware of any of these behaviours in yourself, it is time to step back from the carer role and seek in-home government-subsidised care. If you are witnessing these behaviours in a carer and the warning signs in the person being cared for, seek advice through the free call phone line 1800 ELDERHelp (1800 353 374).

Need help caring for a loved one? Please feel free to call me, Danielle Robertson, at any time for an initial discussion on how to set up the right care, support and assistance at the right time and in the right place.

Resources

^[1] Elder Abuse Awareness Day
^[2] World Health Organisation - Preventing Abuse of Older People
^[3] Compass - National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study Final Report
^[4] Percentages represent prevalence of the type of mistreatment in participants of the National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study 2021
^[5] Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care - Elder Abuse Phone Line
^[6] Compass - Responding to Elder Abuse
^[7] Compass - Recognising Elder Abuse