Elder abuse is when a person causes harm or distress to an older person who has a relationship of trust with them – like an adult child, their partner or a carer.
It can be a type of domestic and family violence, and can include physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, social abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse and neglect.
If you think you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, contact your State or Territory older person's service.
Also see resources.
Some examples of elder abuse can include:
- Living in the older person’s home and refusing to help pay for expenses, or refusing to care for the older person after agreeing to.
- Refusing to pay back loans or abusing Power of Attorney.
- Stealing money or belongings from the older person, or breaking their belongings.
- Forcing an older person to sign a Will, contract, Power of Attorney or Enduring Guardian appointment.
- Neglecting the older person, for example, failing to provide them with food or medical care.
- Bullying, name-calling, verbal abuse or repeatedly telling them they have dementia.
- Treating an older person like a child.
- Threatening to put the older person in a nursing home or threatening to stop seeing them.
- Stopping an older person from seeing their friends or family.
- Pushing, shoving or being rough with an older person.
- Unwanted sexual contact.
If you think you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, contact your State or Territory older person's service.