Download “Resource guide for individuals and community services”
Download “Practice guide for government services and organisations”
Purpose and scope
The abuse and mistreatment of older people, commonly referred to as elder abuse, is a prevalent and growing issue in Australia. The consequences of elder abuse are significant: often causing significant psychological, financial, physical, and social harm to older people. These consequences can lead to premature mortality, broken relationships, a heightened risk of revictimisation, and reduced quality of life.
Elder abuse, and other forms of mistreatment towards older people, are heavily driven by ageism and largely occurs within families and other trusted relationships. Consequently, elder abuse often goes undetected, unreported, or undisclosed. This is especially true for those who face overlapping forms of marginalisation due to intersecting identity factors that reduce their access to, or trust in, support systems and services.
The Intersectionality in elder abuse reference guide part 3 is a resource guide that responds to the insights and advice relating to elder abuse detection, prevention, response, and recovery that is outlined in parts 1 and 2. It provides practical advice to support the detection of and response to elder abuse, particularly for those who face overlapping forms of marginalisation.