Research reveals at least 5 per cent of older people across Australia experience elder abuse, which is more than 182,000 people. 

Two-thirds of elder abuse in Australia is perpetrated by the adult children of the older person. Seniors Rights Service is hoping to kickstart the conversation needed to protect seniors. 

In an effort to deal with the rising number of cases of elder abuse, Maree Montgomery has been travelling throughout NSW hosting forums to raise awareness of the issue within communities. 

“It’s not necessarily talking about the identifiers or the situations, but about the fact it is sadly in our communities,” she said. 

“We have developed the resources for people to take away and have that conversation themselves and we want that to be a flow-on effect. 

“With grassroots communications coming upwards to cause a change.” 

Wagga local Margaret Garraway attended Wagga’s Community Discussion on Elder Abuse. 

“My own husband had a drawn-out period of dying, but I was fortunate that he went into a nursing home where he was treated with enormous respect and care,” she said. 

“I tell you, I was watching like a hawk, but he had excellent care.”

Mrs Garraway has a background in teaching and said she had concerns over the reduction in face-to-face hours. 

“By cutting back face-to-face teaching I believe it has lowered the awareness in students of what they are dealing with,” she said. 

“We expect these students to care for our elders when they have done about 30 days of face to face teaching.”

Mrs Garraway said she believed the community needs to put the issues on the table so they can be dealt with.

“You have some adult children taking advantage of their elderly parents,” she said. 

During Wagga’s forum on Tuesday, community members raised various issues or concerns they had. 

One issue raised was residents in rural and regional areas not being able to access the same services available in metro areas.

“On top of this can also be the quagmire of policy and bureaucracy and at the core is the person,” Ms Montgomery said. 

Ms Montgomery said she believed the sessions in Wagga went well. 

“The videos allow for an unpacking of a difficult subject,” she said. 

“People are able to talk about the different perspectives of elder abuse, particularly financial abuse, transgender issue and intergenerational abuse.

“I do think that we need a national campaign that says these are the services that are out there so people who have concerns are able to reach out.”

Ms Montgomery said abuse can range from financial, physical, psychological and sexual and can be unintentional or intentional. 

“I just want everyone talking about this, let’s keep the conversations going and provide some positive outcomes,” she said. 

For more information and resources click here. 

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