The Western Australian Government has launched a guide for government officials and professionals who are required to interview older people at risk of harm.

Minister for Seniors and Ageing, Don Punch, said the guide, Best Practice Guidelines for Interviewing Older People at Risk of Harm, will give service providers the tools to have effective and meaningful conversations with older people who have experienced abuse.

The guide was developed by the Social Ageing (SAGE) Futures Lab at Edith Cowan University, with support from an advisory reference group, on behalf of the Older People's Rights Service at Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre.

The State Government supported the development of the guide through Department of Communities funding.

It is intended to support legal and justice professionals, law enforcement, financial advisors, and other relevant service providers in interviewing older people at risk of harm.

One in six older Australians living in their own homes experience abuse, often from their adult children or another person in a relationship involving an expectation of trust.

Mr Punch said, “Older Western Australians have the right to feel safe and to be treated with dignity and respect in our community.

“This guide will give service providers the tools to have effective and meaningful conversations with seniors at risk of harm.

“Ensuring older people feel at ease could be something as innocuous as mugs having large enough handles to comfortably hold, to looking at the bigger picture, and understanding that families have a complex history.”

Related reading: WA Government Media Statement