Report shines light on seniors’ worst fear

United Care Helpline’s Queensland hotline received 4,458 phone calls for help in 2023-24, with 2,674 notifications of elder abuse, according to its Year in Review report. 

There were 2,560 cases of abuse in close or intimate relationships and 534 cases of abuse in consumer and social relationships. The number of cases was higher than the number of calls because two-thirds of victims experienced more than one type of abuse. 

The Helpline focuses primarily on abuse in close, intimate, and social relationships. 

Social abuse increased in 2023-24 by 7% while neglect of older people increased by 24%. 

Impaired or suspected impaired capacity was recorded for nearly 47% of victims. 

The report will inform an inquiry into elder abuse announced by the Queensland Government, which claims elder abuse is under reported. 

Research suggests six in 10 older people who experience abuse won’t seek help from a professional source but instead seek advice from family or friends.

The most reported types of abuse were psychological and financial abuse. 

Financial abuse: This involved non-contribution (for example, living with the victim and not contributing towards expenses such as electricity or groceries), coercing the victim into gifting, and paying perpetrator’s bills. 

The most common methods were undue influence, misuse of an Enduring Power of Attorney, and misusing debit and credit cards. 

Psychological abuse: The most common forms of psychological abuse were pressuring, shouting, and making threats to send victims to residential aged care facilities and to harm others. 

Social abuse: Restricting visitation by others and restricting access to a phone were the most common forms, along with limiting the victim’s ability to be alone with others. 

Neglect: Refusing to allow others to provide care, failing to ensure victim’s nutritional needs were met, and failing to ensure victim safety were the most frequently reported forms of neglect. 

Physical abuse: In 2023–24, 322 cases of physical abuse were reported to the Helpline. The most frequently reported forms of physical abuse were pushing, striking, and rough handling.

Age: The most common age group was 80–84 years, while most perpetrators were aged 50–54. 

Gender: Victims were more often females although this could be because women live longer, increasing the risk of abuse. There were more female perpetrators than males. 

Cognitive impairment: Dementia was the most frequently reported form of cognitive impairment, affecting 10.8% victims. Perpetrators were likely to have some form of mental illness and/or engaged in substance abuse.  

Campaigns aimed at raising public awareness that elder abuse as a criminal offence, and that older people have the right to be protected by the law is not satisfactorily removing the barriers to victims taking action against abuse.  

The most common reasons for victims not reporting abuse were protecting the perpetrator and their relationship with them, shame or stigma, and fear of further harm. 

The report also found victims were more willing to act when legal and social workers worked together along the lines of the Social Worker-Lawyer Intervention model. 

Family relationships accounted for 95% of cases of abuse in close or intimate relationships and sons and daughters were perpetrators in almost three-quarters of cases. 

Daughters were most frequently reported as perpetrators, followed by sons. Daughters-in-law and sons-in-law were also perpetrators and long-term conflict between victims and perpetrators was also a factor. 

The Queensland Government is working on terms of reference for a new parliamentary inquiry into elder abuse. 

Minister for Families, Seniors and Disability Services, Amanda Camm, said the inquiry will shine a light on the mistreatment of some of the most vulnerable members of the community. 

“All Queenslanders have a role to play in preventing elder abuse including families, communities, service providers and all levels of government," she said. 

“Increasing our understanding of elder abuse and boosting community awareness is vital to stopping the abuse.” 

If you or an elderly person you know is being abused, call the National Elder Abuse Helpline: 1800 353 374. If you are in immediate danger call Triple Zero (000) 

Suspected cases of elder abuse can be reported via www.qld.gov.au/stopelderabuse or call the Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 651 192.