Protecting the Rights of Older People

What is the abuse and mistreatment of older people (elder abuse)

The abuse and mistreatment of older people (sometimes called ‘elder abuse’) is a complex health, justice, social and economic issue. It can have devastating consequences for the physical, mental, financial, social and emotional wellbeing of older people, their families and communities.

The Australian Government is committed to preventing and responding to elder abuse.

Abuse and mistreatment of older people is a complex issue that is often caused by someone the older person trusts, such as a family member, friend, professional or paid caregiver. Abuse can happen anywhere, including in the older person's home. Sometimes, both the person experiencing harm and the person causing harm do not recognise that what is happening is abuse. Abuse affects men and women from all walks of life.

There are a range of definitions and frameworks to describe the abuse and mistreatment of older people. The World Health Organization (Toronto Declaration on the Global Prevention of Elder Abuse 2002) defines elder abuse as:

a single or repeated 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. It can be of various forms: physical, psychological/emotional, sexual, financial or simply reflect intentional or unintentional neglect. Elder abuse is a violation of human rights and a significant cause of injury, illness, lost productivity, isolation and despair.

Abuse and mistreatment of older people in Australia

In 2022, there were an estimated 4.4 million older people in Australia, meaning older people comprised 17.1% of the total population. By 2066, it is projected that older people in Australia will make up between 21% and 23% of the total population.

The National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study, released in December 2021, was the largest study to date into elder abuse in Australia. The research suggests that approximately 1 in 6 older people in Australia experience elder abuse in a given year.

Evidence also suggests that most elder abuse happens within families and across generations, making it challenging and complex to address.

Australia’s response to the abuse and mistreatment of older people

Since 2016, the Australian Government has led a range of initiatives to respond to and prevent abuse and mistreatment of older people. These include:

• working with state and territory governments to develop and launch the National Plan to End the Abuse and Mistreatment of Older People 2026–2036 (National Plan), and developing the associated first 5-year Action Plan
• Implementing the first National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians 2019–2023
• supporting the establishment of the national peak body for elder abuse, Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA)
• developing the national knowledge hub of resources and information about services relevant to the abuse and mistreatment of older people (Compass.info)
• targeting research activities to strengthen our understanding of abuse and mistreatment of older people in Australia
• increasing specialist front-line services to support older people and their families seeking help
• establishing a national helpline for elder abuse, 1800ELDERHelp (1800 353 374)
• increasing community awareness and understanding of elder abuse
• supporting the work of the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Age Discrimination Commissioner in tackling ageism
• working with states and territories to reform enduring powers of attorney arrangements.

The National Plan to End the Abuse and Mistreatment of Older People 2026–2036

The National Plan to End the Abuse and Mistreatment of Older People 2026–2036 (National Plan) is a joint initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments. The following research informed this National Plan:

• an independent evaluation of the first National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians 2019–2023 by the Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS)
• the findings of a national consultation process undertaken by Elder Abuse Action Australia.

The 10-year National Plan reflects a commitment by all governments to drive change to prevent, respond to and ultimately end the abuse and mistreatment of older people, building on the progress made through the first National Plan.

The second National Plan’s vision is for all older people to:

• be safe, valued, heard and respected
• have their rights protected and promoted
• live free from abuse and mistreatment.

Achieving this vision will take a whole of community response, and this is reflected in the 4 Focus Areas that underpin the National Plan:

• Increase whole-of-community awareness, education and engagement.
• Improve laws and systems to promote and protect the rights of older people.
• Strengthen the capacity and capability of services, including through targeted education and training for professionals.
• Address gaps in the evidence base and increase collaboration.

The National Plan provides a national overlay to the various plans and strategies currently operating at the state and territory level and will be underpinned by two 5-year Action Plans.

The following documents support the National Plan:

• Executive Summary – a high-level summary of the second National Plan’s key messages and features
• Program Logic – outlines how different activities in the National Plan will lead to short, medium and long-term outcomes
• Monitoring and Evaluation Framework – work is currently underway to develop this framework
• First Action Plan to End the Abuse and Mistreatment of Older People – work is currently underway to develop this Action Plan
• Translated versions of the National Plan and Executive Summary in Greek, Vietnamese, Arabic, Italian and Chinese (Simplified) will be available shortly, once finalised.

National Plan monitoring

An Implementation Executive Group made up of senior-level representatives from the Commonwealth, state and territory governments monitors and oversees the implementation of the National Plan and associated Action Plan(s).

The first National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) 2019–2023

The (first) National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) 2019–2023 was launched in 2019. 

National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) 2019-2023

The first National Plan helped unite Australian governments to respond to abuse of older people, encouraged information sharing between governments, and built improved understanding of abuse and effective responses. It provided a solid foundation for the successor National Plan.

Key achievements under the first National Plan include:

• funding a national research agenda on elder abuse, including Australia’s first National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study
• establishing the national elder abuse peak body, Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA)
• launching the elder abuse knowledge hub, Compass.info
• delivering a national elder abuse awareness campaign in 2024.

There are 3 companion documents supporting the first National Plan:

• The Plan on a Page – a high-level summary of the key focus areas for governments over the 2019-2023 period
• Implementation Plan – federal, state and territory government initiatives addressing priority areas of the National Plan
• Everybody's business: Stocktake of elder abuse awareness, prevention and response activities in Australia – a comprehensive overview of the work already funded by governments around Australia, as well as other initiatives led by non-government organisations.

National Plan monitoring

An Implementation Executive Group made up of senior-level representatives from the federal, state and territory governments monitors and oversees the implementation of the National Plan and Implementation Plan and the development of the second National Plan.

Compass – guiding action on elder abuse

Compass – guiding action on elder abuse brings together the best resources and information on this issue from across the country. Funded by the Australian Government and developed by EAAA, Compass.info is designed to improve community awareness of elder abuse and access to information.

National research program

The Australian Government is focused on strengthening the evidence base on the nature and prevalence of elder abuse in Australia.

National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study

In 2019, we commissioned Australian Institute of Family Studies (AIFS) to conduct Australia's first national study into the prevalence of elder abuse.

Read a full copy of the National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study on the AIFS website.

The study has improved our understanding of the scope and nature of elder abuse in Australia and continues to inform Commonwealth, state and territory policy and program design to address the abuse and mistreatment of older people.

Research insights

In March 2019, we also commissioned 2 research reports to build an evidence base and provide insights into the nature of abuse of older people in Australia. These reports complement the data collected in the prevalence study..

• Insights into vulnerabilities of older Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people – In brief
• Insights into abuse of older people – analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics datasets.

Specialist elder abuse services

The Australian Government funds specialist elder abuse services across Australia. These services are for older people who are at risk of or experiencing abuse and mistreatment. The services support older people and their families.

The specialist elder abuse services have been trialled since 2018–19 and include the following components.

Specialist elder abuse units

The units are made up of lawyers, social workers and other specialist and support staff who work side by side with clients to develop a case plan and respond to the individual's needs.

Health-justice partnerships

Older people in the health care system who are identified by health care workers and social workers as being at risk or potentially subjected to abuse can access specialised legal support services. These work in partnership with the health system and related referral agencies, such as community aged care services. Early evidence suggests this model reaches very vulnerable people who are not otherwise identified, such as those experiencing neglect or isolation.

Case management and mediation services

Case management and mediation services work with the older person and their family to find solutions to the underlying problems driving abuse. Elder abuse can have its roots in complex family relationships where there is conflict between adult children, family breakdown, family violence and mental health problems. This model recognises that older people may seek to first address issues within their family before seeking external assistance.

Read the evaluation of the specialist Elder Abuse Service Trials, completed in 2021