As part of World Elder Abuse Day (15th June), Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV), a key program of Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria, will host their annual event, ‘Stir A Cuppa with Seniors,’ highlighting the critical role of grandparents in families.
Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV), a key program of Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria, is urging all Victorians this World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on 15th June, to accept that ‘Elder Abuse is Everybody’s Business’ and it is a timely reminder for Victorians to amplify their awareness as to what constitutes elder abuse and not to disregard any warning signs.
Seniors Rights Victoria, a Community Legal Centre, is the key state-wide service dedicated to stopping elder abuse. Supported by the Victorian Government, SRV operates under the principle of empowering older people. SRV provides information, support, advice, casework and education to help prevent and respond to elder abuse.
June 15 is designated World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). It highlights one of the worst manifestations of ageism and inequality in our society, elder abuse.
This year, WEAAD coincides with the Victorian Government’s Royal Commission into Mental Health.
“Elder abuse and mental health are interlinked, with elder abuse having devastating psychological effects on an older person, including depression and anxiety. This, in turn, can lead to social isolation, a significant risk factor for further abuse,” said Jenny Blakey, Seniors Rights Victoria (SRV) Manager.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is commemorated each year on 15 June to highlight one of the worst manifestations of ageism and inequality in our society, elder abuse.
Elder abuse is any act which causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone they know and trust such as a family member or friend. The abuse may be physical, social, financial, psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect.
WEAAD was officially recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011. Rates of elder abuse are under reported, but the Australian Institute of Family Studies estimates up to 14 per cent of older people in Australia are affected.
Elder abuse is any act which causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone they know and trust such as a family member or friend. The abuse may be physical, social, financial, psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect.
WEAAD was officially recognised by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2011. According to the World Health Organisation, prevalence rates or estimates exist only in selected developed countries – ranging from 1 to 10 per cent. Although the extent of elder mistreatment is unknown, its social and moral significance is obvious.
Individuals, communities, municipalities and organisations will come together across the globe to hold events on 15 June that raise awareness of elder abuse. These activities are often hosted with the aim of bringing greater recognition of the mistreatment of older adults wherever they live throughout the world and to highlight the need for appropriate action.
Seniors Rights Victoria Manager Jenny Blakey said there was a growing acknowledgement of elder abuse as a form of family violence.
“Just as respectful relationships within families help prevent family violence, respect for older family members is a primary protection against elder abuse, particularly when it comes to a family’s financial arrangements,” Ms Blakey said.
In Victoria, Australia, you are welcome to register your event on Senior Rights Victoria’s WEAAD website. Support your event with promotion material by using the WEAAD Toolkit which includes free image downloads to use as holding slides, email banners and social media prompts. Feel free to customise request for media coverage using our generic media release.
Seniors Rights Victoria is a state-wide specialist elder abuse service that provides information, support, advice and education to help prevent elder abuse and safeguard the rights, dignity and independence of older people. View information on their website is www.seniorsrights.org.au or contact the free, confidential Helpline: 1300 368 821.
Seniors Rights Victoria and the Office of Public Advocate hosted a booked-out forum at Melbourne Town Hall, at which the Attorney-General, Senator the Hon. George Brandis QC, launched (via video link) the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Report ‘Elder Abuse – A National Legal Response’. We welcomed the release of the Report and commend the Australian Government on recognising the need for this Inquiry, which will provide a strong foundation for future action.
We were pleased to see so many communities coming together to celebrate the rights of older people and raise awareness about elder abuse. In Victoria alone, more than 40 events took place, with the support of local councils, public libraries, community legal centres, neighbourhood houses, aged care facilities, health services and other organisations. Awareness of elder abuse was also raised through print media, radio, television and social media.
We thank all of the organisations and individuals who “went purple” on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to support the rights of older people to live safely and with dignity.
Each year, Seniors Rights Victoria receives thousands of enquiries from people experiencing elder abuse or worried about someone they know. Elder abuse, a type of family violence, includes any act which harms an older person and is carried out by someone they trust such as an adult child, family member, partner, carer or friend. For free, confidential help, call Seniors Rights Victoria on 1300 368 821.
Pictured: Seniors Rights Victoria staff at the WEAAD 2017 Forum at Melbourne Town Hall
The Victorian Office of the Public Advocate and Seniors Rights Victoria invite you to a free 2017 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Forum in Melbourne on Thursday 15 June.
At the forum, Senator the Hon. George Brandis QC, Attorney-General, will launch the Report of the Australian Law Reform Commission Inquiry into ‘Protecting the Rights of Older Australians from Abuse’.
We will also hear from key presenters:
Part two of the forum will help you gain a practical understanding of how some key organisations are responding to elder abuse. Our lively and interactive Q&A panel will include:
The Older Person’s Experience – Outcomes of Interventions into Elder Abuse
On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) the National Ageing Research Institute and Senior’s Rights Victoria released their new report: “The Older Person’s Experience – Outcomes of Interventions into Elder Abuse”.
The study aimed to better understand the older person’s experience of elder abuse, the interventions used to address elder abuse and the outcome of the intervention for ex-clients who contacted Seniors Rights Victoria. It makes for very interesting and informative reading, and is the only Australian study we know of that looks at elder abuse from older peoples’ perspective. The report also contains recommendations, formed from the advice of the courageous participants, which will be of great use to both older people and policy-makers alike.
For WEAAD 2016, Whitehorse City Council, in partnership with Celebrate Ageing, undertook the “My Cosy Project ”, whereby adults share things they love about their own ageing.
We asked people from various community groups (e.g. Neighbourhood Houses and U3A Nunawading) to write down what they liked about ageing and encouraged people to wear purple. We also had three delicious purple cakes made for Council staff and PAG participants at Mountain View Cottage.
We lit up some buildings in purple on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and also held a Mini Expo in the mall on Friday that was very successful. We spoke to many people about Elder Abuse as well as services that are available and where to get more information. We also had some people come specifically to get information and support as they had seen the advertising for WEAAD.See our Media.
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