10-Year Wait For Strategy On Elder Abuse (Tasmania, AUSTRALIA)

10-year wait for strategy on elder abuse

BY ZOE EDWARDS

19/10/2009

ADVOCACY groups say they are fed up with the State Government's inaction on elder abuse.

Between 3000 and 4000 Tasmanians over the age of 65 are affected by elder abuse - most commonly financial abuse and often accompanied by psychological abuse.

The culprits are usually carers, family members, landlords and other trusted individuals.

The Tasmanian Elder Abuse Partnership will meet the Health and Human Services Department today to try to get a concrete commitment from the Government to deal with the issue.

Council on the Ageing Tasmanian chief executive Maxine Griffiths said yesterday that Tasmania's elderly were having their homes sold from underneath them, being denied food, medicines or visitors and being forced into nursing homes or locked in rooms.

"There's research to show that the more we're going to be relying on relatives to care at home the more prevalent financial and emotional abuse will be," she said.

The council, along with other advocacy groups, say they have been lobbying the State Government to implement an elder abuse strategy for 10 years.

As well as establishing a freecall support line for victims, the prevention strategy would include education, law reform and developing counselling and information services.

Implementation of the strategy was estimated to cost less than $1million a year, Ms Griffiths said.

Tasmania is the only state without an elder abuse strategy.
Abridged
SOURCE:   The Examiner, Tasmania, AUSTRALIA
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I do not see any mention of Guardianship Abuse.  I have been contacted by someone in that state, making charges of injustice and Guardianship Abuse.  It is time the authorities in that country, look into such cases.


My plea to them:  Do not indulge in self-praise regarding Aged Care. Listen to those who just want peace, dignity and safety in their old age. If a system set up to look after the vulnerable seniors have flaws; or that people have been misusing the system for their own agenda or profit, PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT.


.......................... AC

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