Know the effects
Effects of elder abuse
The effects of elder abuse are wide ranging and can impact individuals, their support networks and the broader community. Below you will find just some of the ways elder abuse is known to affect people, as well as some steps you can take to prevent these effects.
Relationships
One of the biggest ways older people are affected is by the breakdown of family and other relationships. In many instances, older people may need to take protective or legal action against a family member in order to stop the abuse, regain control of their finances or assert their rights. In some cases, this can lead to ongoing relationship breakdown with the perpetrator and create divides between other family members, friends, support networks and community members.
Finances
It is not always possible to reclaim money, property or other assets in every elder abuse situation. When older people experience financial loss, it can affect their quality of life in many ways. It might mean:
An inability to meet increasing expenses such as medication, aged care or healthcare costs.
Loss of items that are sentimental and ‘irreplaceable’.
Being left with debts after the abuse has stopped.
Housing instability and homelessness, particularly following situations where property co-investments/co-habitation did not work out.
Reduced ability to pursue financial losses due to the financial cost of legal fees
Health outcomes
There is a strong association between elder abuse and a range of negative health outcomes. These include:
Increased rate of hospitalisations.
Increased morbidity.
Cognitive deterioration.
Early entry to residential aged care.
Mental health and trauma.
Increased likelihood of existing health issues worsening, or developing a different health issue.
Preventing elder abuse
Nearly every older person has spent a lifetime trying to foster positive relationships among family. For many people, some of these prevention tips might appear to be ‘overly cautious’ or ‘too formal for family’. Often this is because people do not believe elder abuse would happen within their family. It is important to note that no one expects to experience abuse or financial loss from family members, particularly their own children, who make up around 75% of perpetrators in elder abuse cases. Taking appropriate action now, can help preserve family relationships and tensions, while also preventing elder abuse situations.
Whatever your situation, there are three key principles to keep in mind. These are:
Reduce opportunities for elder abuse (no temptation)
Increase accountability (someone to keep an eye on things)
Make arrangements clear to everyone (everyone knows what was agreed upon from the beginning)
Seek professional advice that is independent and solely focused on your interests
Independent advice is exactly that. Whether you are seeking legal, financial or other advice, independent advice is:
advice you seek alone…
from a professional selected by you…
who hasn’t worked with other involved parties…
and is acting solely in your interests, not for 'everyone'
Independent advice is not someone giving advice to the whole family and definitely does not include someone else’s advisor.
There are a large range of situations that have financial and legal implications for your future. Formalising the arrangements in writing, with the assistance of a professional may reduce opportunities for abuse, while making the original arrangements clear. You might consider this before:
You plan to sign anything, particularly something you don’t understand.
You are investing into a property: This is regardless of whether the arrangement involves co-investment, paying for renovations, a title transfer or something else.
You plan to transfer/gift money to someone else, particularly in relation to property (you may also need to speak to Services Australia).
You plan to lend someone money.
You give someone access to your finances or other accounts.
Moving into to a retirement village or manufactured home park.
Some people formalising financial arrangements consider using a family agreement to document things. You might like to read more about family agreements here!
Moving in with family or family moving in with you
Living arrangements that do not work out is one of the biggest catalysts for elder abuse. It also has financial and legal implications. This is another time when formalising the arrangements and seeking independent advice (see above) is necessary. Family agreements can help with keeping people accountable and making the arrangements clear from the outset. How long will the arrangements last, will it involve care and what will that care look like? What will happen when things change? You might like to read more about family agreements here!
Making an Enduring Power of Attorney or other advance planning documents
Having an Enduring Power of Attorney can act as a vital safeguard in times when you cannot make decisions for yourself. It is, however, important to carefully consider who you choose to appoint as your attorney(s), as attorney powers can be misused. If you choose to make an Enduring Power of Attorney or other similar document, there may be ways to increase accountability of those who may act for you in the future. Choosing the right person(s) for the right attorney role may help reduce the opportunity for mismanagement or abuse. There are also ways to limit and/or make clear how you would like your attorney(s) to act.
Making a Will
Making a Will is about making your wishes clear when you die. When there is money, assets or businesses left behind, of which there are no clear arrangements in a Will, it can cause serious family disputes for those left behind. This is particularly true in blended families.
Staying connected with people and the community
Social isolation is a big risk factor for elder abuse. Social connections are important for our mental health, safety and overall wellbeing. Older people face many barriers to staying connected, which many of us take for granted — for example, retiring from the workforce, loss of friends and family or even a driver’s licence. We need to continue to ask ourselves, “if I was really in trouble who could I tell?”
If you can only think of a few people (or no-one at all) you might need to think about trying to proactively form some new social connections. Friends help keep an eye on each other.
Supporting primary carers
Many people acting as a primary carer underestimate the possibility that they might experience carer stress over time. It is not uncommon for an older person’s care needs to increase and the role to become more demanding. Having others regularly check in with primary carers is important. Where possible, share the caregiving duties. Offering emotional and/or financial support can greatly lower the stress of caring for an older family member. It can also increase the number of people keeping an eye on things.
I think someone needs support, what do I do?
● If there is immediate risk, contact the police 000.
● Contact the Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 651 192 or from interstate on 07 3867 2525.
● You can read more about elder abuse here.
