An independent report released Sunday by the Australian Institute of family Studies (AIFS) determined that the Australian government’s plan to address elder abuse has been “valuable.”
The report examined the appropriateness, efficiency and effectiveness of the National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians through an array of case studies, surveys and interviews. Researchers found that the plan assisted in furthering understandings of the nature and prevalence of elder abuse and enabled collective action across multiple jurisdictions. One community survey undertaken by the institute revealed more than two-thirds of respondents reported seeing information pertaining to elder abuse through campaigns, in the media or online.
The National Plan was implemented between 2019 and 2023 to address the “emerging and growing problem of abuse of older Australians.” A major driving factor for the National Plan’s implementation arose from concerns about the prevalence of elder abuse in Australia’s ageing population. The government indicated in the plan that overseas studies reported up to 12 percent of elders experience at least one form of abuse. However, a 2021 AIFS study estimated Australian rates of elder abuse (abuse of individuals aged 65 or older) to be around 15 percent.
The plan focused on improving conditions for elders through five priority areas:
- Strengthening service responses
- Helping people better plan for their future
- Strengthening safeguards for vulnerable elders
- Building understanding of elder abuse
- Building community awareness of elder abuse
Elder abuse, which the World Health Organisation defines as “an act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person”, has become increasingly concerning to governments worldwide as the global population of people aged sixty and over is expected to double between 2015 and 2050.
AIFS’s recommendations for future action in Australia included focusing on the prevention and detection of abuse through extensive safeguarding measures, as well as improving the capacity of services for those affected by abuse and reviewing the accessibility of criminal law for victims. These recommendations will support the government in formulating the next national plan, which is currently in development, according to Australian Attorney General Mark Dreyfus.
