Ballarat Community Health is seeking to extinguish the hold elder abuse can have on older people’s lives by raising awareness of its existence and creating options for those seeking help.
“To coincide with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2021 the project will humanise older Australians and raise awareness of elder abuse prevention services, promoting help-seeking behaviour in Ballarat and the surrounding areas,” – Kate Diamond- Keith
Though the abuse older Australians experience comes in many forms, it often includes:
- threatening and coercive behaviour
- forcing an older person to hand over money or an asset, or misusing their funds
- physical assault
- preventing contact with family and friends
- limiting a person’s choices or placing pressure on them regarding decisions they make
- neglecting to provide a person with appropriate health or personal care
- inheritance impatience – the sense of entitlement to an older person’s assets or resources.
The new campaign will help people to recognise that:
- older Australians’ assets are theirs to control
- Power of Attorney is an older person’s choice
- an inheritance is not an entitlement
- there is help available if any of these things are happening in ours or someone we know’s lives.
“Seniors have the right to live free from violence and abuse and to make their own informed choices,”
