Mrs Berry, a consumer adviser for Older Persons Advocacy Network, says an estimated 50 people are assaulted in Australian aged care homes each week "and this is only the reported".

"This is a real issue and we can't just turn our heads on it and pretend it's not happening," she said.

Older Persons Advocacy Network launched a project, Ready To Listen, to address this hidden problem which is recognised on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, June 15.

A partnership with Celebrate Ageing and the Older Women's Network NSW, stage one is aimed at residential aged care providers.

"We all have a duty of care and we've got to come up with some better ideas and better ways," Mrs Berry said.

"I'm not throwing stones at some of these providers that are working really hard and trying to make changes.

"I take my hat off to the staff at the moment, because nationally we've gone past the crisis on the cliff, we've gone over, with the staff shortages."

Author and academic Kate Swaffer said a commonly held misconception was people with dementia would not remember pain or trauma.

"Some service providers think if someone with dementia is sexually assaulted, they won't feel distressed and they won't remember the sexual assault," Ms Swaffer said.

Service providers and investigating authorities might also dismiss the testimony of people with cognitive impairment as unreliable.

IN OTHER NEWS:

OPAN chief executive Craig Gear said the sector had seen little improvement since the aged care royal commission handed down its findings last year.

"The most recent Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission Sector performance report identified 530 cases of unlawful sexual conduct or inappropriate sexual contact in the three months until December 2021," he said.

Mrs Berry said people were becoming more aware of abuse issues involving older people.

"I get contacted every week with different stories from local people," she said.

"And it's great, because at least people are reaching out to somebody but they're not necessarily ringing the 1800 number or wanting to speak to someone who's not local."

When approached she listens and tries to help people access support.

"It's bringing back that respect for older people and for the people that are caring for older people," Mrs Berry said.

"We're not ... treasuring or respecting and we're forgetting about older people, locked up in nursing homes and going through COVID."

The advocate said regional areas generally had the advantage of "good country care".

"But we can't think that things are not happening because they are," she said.

"We've just got to be transparent and honest and look at what we can do to change things."