Rudd Government will amend the Age Discrimination Act 2004 to remove the 'dominant reason' test.
Attorney-General Robert McClelland and Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot today announced that the Rudd Government will amend the Age Discrimination Act 2004 to remove the 'dominant reason' test.
The current test means that a person's age must be the dominant reason for something to constitute discrimination under the Act. This is inconsistent with the other federal unlawful discrimination laws."Our view is that it is entirely unacceptable to give older Australians a weaker protection because of their age," Mr McClelland said.
This is another example of the Rudd Government’s commitment to older Australians, including the investment of record funding in aged and community care. This includes more than $40 billion for aged and community care; $28.6 billion of that on nursing homes and hostels alone. In 2008-2009, $2.2 billion will be spent on community care.
Abridged
SOURCE: AustraliaTO
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We should applaud the great move. However, when will the government act to make elder abuse a crime? Or, publicise the fact that elder abuse is NOT tolerable in our society. May be there are no elder abuse cases in Australia. Even the media are not interested in the issue, unless the case created sensational headlines like, " .... 95 year old, raped in nursing home.." Wake up, Australia.
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October 2, 2008
October 1, 2008
Financial Elder Abuse/Scams: AG Warns Seniors (Pa. USA)
Attorney General warns seniors about scammers
By: JOE LANGDON
09/29/2008
HONEY BROOK - State Attorney General Tom Corbett brought his Senior Crime University program to Tel Hai retirement home to help educate senior citizens about the risks of scams and identity theft.
"We like to prevent crime, rather than react to it," Corbett said. "Seniors are targets of scammers. They're trusting people."
With more older people using the Internet, the potential for fraud has grown exponentially, Corbett said. When he asked how many people regularly used computers, nearly every hand in the room went up.
It was back in 1991 that Corbett first encountered the infamous Nigerian scam. It's pretty simple: You receive a letter saying you've won a lottery, or received an inheritance or a beleaguered African monarch needs your help spiriting gold out of a war-torn land. The upshot is that they need money, on the quick, for taxes, fees, customs, etc.
This old doozie is still going strong."I've seen the London Lotto, the Bahamas Bonanza, the Irish Sweeps ..." said David Shallcross, community liaison for the district attorney's office, who led a presentation to the Tel Hai community. Just last week, a Carlisle woman was bilked out of $11,000 in a Canadian lottery scam, he said.
Once people have fallen for a minor scam, the hits keep coming, Shallcross warned. He fanned out a thick stack of mail. It contained over $11 million dollars in bogus checks mailed to one scam victim in just one week."They share information," Shallcross said. "The bad guys network. It's practically organized crime."
In one common variation of the scam, victims receive a check as payment for something sold online, but the check is for more than the sale price. People are asked to wire the difference to a third party for shipping or some other fee. The check bounces and the criminal skips out with the wired funds.
Shallcross said that if anyone suspects fraudulent activity, they should contact the attorney general's office. The office maintains a special elder abuse hot line: 1-866-623-2137. More information is available at www.attorneygeneral.gov.
©Tri County Record 2008
Abridged
SOURCE: Tri County Record
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By: JOE LANGDON
09/29/2008
HONEY BROOK - State Attorney General Tom Corbett brought his Senior Crime University program to Tel Hai retirement home to help educate senior citizens about the risks of scams and identity theft.
"We like to prevent crime, rather than react to it," Corbett said. "Seniors are targets of scammers. They're trusting people."
With more older people using the Internet, the potential for fraud has grown exponentially, Corbett said. When he asked how many people regularly used computers, nearly every hand in the room went up.
It was back in 1991 that Corbett first encountered the infamous Nigerian scam. It's pretty simple: You receive a letter saying you've won a lottery, or received an inheritance or a beleaguered African monarch needs your help spiriting gold out of a war-torn land. The upshot is that they need money, on the quick, for taxes, fees, customs, etc.
This old doozie is still going strong."I've seen the London Lotto, the Bahamas Bonanza, the Irish Sweeps ..." said David Shallcross, community liaison for the district attorney's office, who led a presentation to the Tel Hai community. Just last week, a Carlisle woman was bilked out of $11,000 in a Canadian lottery scam, he said.
Once people have fallen for a minor scam, the hits keep coming, Shallcross warned. He fanned out a thick stack of mail. It contained over $11 million dollars in bogus checks mailed to one scam victim in just one week."They share information," Shallcross said. "The bad guys network. It's practically organized crime."
In one common variation of the scam, victims receive a check as payment for something sold online, but the check is for more than the sale price. People are asked to wire the difference to a third party for shipping or some other fee. The check bounces and the criminal skips out with the wired funds.
Shallcross said that if anyone suspects fraudulent activity, they should contact the attorney general's office. The office maintains a special elder abuse hot line: 1-866-623-2137. More information is available at www.attorneygeneral.gov.
©Tri County Record 2008
Abridged
SOURCE: Tri County Record
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Elder Care: GLBTI Seniors Discriminated (Melb. Australia)
Report Damns GLBTI Aged Care
Local News
By Travis de Jonk
1st October, 2008
Researchers at Melbourne’s La Trobe University have publically released a startling report on the social health of non-heterosexual seniors in Victoria. The report was developed from initial results in a qualitative study of the experiences of GLBTI ( Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) seniors that receive aged care and related services in Victoria,
My People – the title of the report – is a Project exploring the experiences of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex seniors in aged care services, that aims to define key areas that require reform in defense of the human rights of GLBTI seniors dealing with discrimination and invisibility within Australia’s aged care system.
Principal researcher Dr Catherine Barrett from La Trobe University said anecdotal reports of discrimination against sexual minorities in aged care was the catalyst for the study, as well as the need to combating the silence that surrounds it.
The report reveals strong fears of having to return to the isolation and confinement of closeted life from queer baby-boomers and seniors regarding ageing in the 21st century.
The research shows that for those within sexual minority categories, growing older means going back into the closet, even for those who have been out for most if not all their lives to that point, for fear of being deprived of quality care, companionship and understanding when they most need it. Those surveyed also expressed a high degree of fear about a largely hetro-dominant health and aged care system that does not understand their unique needs.
Experiences include the feeling of not being able to be themselves, feeling forced to hide their true sexual identities, right through to direct threats, harassment, ridicule and invasion of privacy. Most of those interviewed conveyed some degree of depression, grief and loneliness, coupled with a longing for physical contact or intimacy.
While some aged care providers do respect and protect GLBTI people, according to the, most are still unaware of them. This means that they may be ignoring physical, emotional, and psychological needs of GLBTI seniors, which often indirectly contributes to them confining themselves to the closet.
My People reports that the fear and frustration surrounding aged care strongly hints that there are providers that may be breaking the law and breaching several Acts of legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexuality or gender.
Abridged
SOURCE: Same Same - Sydney,NSW,Australia
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Local News
By Travis de Jonk
1st October, 2008
Researchers at Melbourne’s La Trobe University have publically released a startling report on the social health of non-heterosexual seniors in Victoria. The report was developed from initial results in a qualitative study of the experiences of GLBTI ( Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) seniors that receive aged care and related services in Victoria,
My People – the title of the report – is a Project exploring the experiences of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex seniors in aged care services, that aims to define key areas that require reform in defense of the human rights of GLBTI seniors dealing with discrimination and invisibility within Australia’s aged care system.
Principal researcher Dr Catherine Barrett from La Trobe University said anecdotal reports of discrimination against sexual minorities in aged care was the catalyst for the study, as well as the need to combating the silence that surrounds it.
The report reveals strong fears of having to return to the isolation and confinement of closeted life from queer baby-boomers and seniors regarding ageing in the 21st century.
The research shows that for those within sexual minority categories, growing older means going back into the closet, even for those who have been out for most if not all their lives to that point, for fear of being deprived of quality care, companionship and understanding when they most need it. Those surveyed also expressed a high degree of fear about a largely hetro-dominant health and aged care system that does not understand their unique needs.
Experiences include the feeling of not being able to be themselves, feeling forced to hide their true sexual identities, right through to direct threats, harassment, ridicule and invasion of privacy. Most of those interviewed conveyed some degree of depression, grief and loneliness, coupled with a longing for physical contact or intimacy.
While some aged care providers do respect and protect GLBTI people, according to the, most are still unaware of them. This means that they may be ignoring physical, emotional, and psychological needs of GLBTI seniors, which often indirectly contributes to them confining themselves to the closet.
My People reports that the fear and frustration surrounding aged care strongly hints that there are providers that may be breaking the law and breaching several Acts of legislation prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexuality or gender.
Abridged
SOURCE: Same Same - Sydney,NSW,Australia
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Elder Abuse: Implementation of Act to Protect Elderly Welcomed (Scotland, UK
By GARY MARTIN
Deputy chief executive, Action on Elder Abuse
Keith Brown (Debate & Opinion, 24 September) and Yvonne McEwen (Letters, 26 September), raise some excellent issues on the abuse suffered by veterans and older people, which we fully support and would seek to further explore with the Scottish Government and key stakeholders.
The Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) helpline received more than 9,600 calls last year, one in four of them about economic/ financial abuse, involving millions of pounds in cash and property stolen or coerced from a veteran or older person.
Prevalence Study Report stated the prevalence of elder abuse in Scotland was the second highest in the UK at 4.2 per cent – affecting more than 40,000 older people (compared with 6 per cent in Wales, 3.9 per cent in England and 3 per cent in Northern Ireland).
The scale of elder abuse is staggering, particularly when you realise that the research did not include people living in or being cared for in NHS facilities or care homes, or people with dementia.
Despite this, more than 40,000 older people in Scotland – equivalent to the population of Edinburgh – and 342,000 UK-wide are facing social and economic abuse, often at the hands of their own families or those we pay to provide sensitive care. This is the hidden abuse of society.
We look forward to the implementation of the Scottish Government's Adult Support and Protection Act. Our veterans fought hard to ensure the liberties and rights we all benefit from today. The very least we can do is to ensure that they are treated and cared for with the decency and respect they deserve.
SOURCE: Scotsman News
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Deputy chief executive, Action on Elder Abuse
Keith Brown (Debate & Opinion, 24 September) and Yvonne McEwen (Letters, 26 September), raise some excellent issues on the abuse suffered by veterans and older people, which we fully support and would seek to further explore with the Scottish Government and key stakeholders.
The Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) helpline received more than 9,600 calls last year, one in four of them about economic/ financial abuse, involving millions of pounds in cash and property stolen or coerced from a veteran or older person.
Prevalence Study Report stated the prevalence of elder abuse in Scotland was the second highest in the UK at 4.2 per cent – affecting more than 40,000 older people (compared with 6 per cent in Wales, 3.9 per cent in England and 3 per cent in Northern Ireland).
The scale of elder abuse is staggering, particularly when you realise that the research did not include people living in or being cared for in NHS facilities or care homes, or people with dementia.
Despite this, more than 40,000 older people in Scotland – equivalent to the population of Edinburgh – and 342,000 UK-wide are facing social and economic abuse, often at the hands of their own families or those we pay to provide sensitive care. This is the hidden abuse of society.
We look forward to the implementation of the Scottish Government's Adult Support and Protection Act. Our veterans fought hard to ensure the liberties and rights we all benefit from today. The very least we can do is to ensure that they are treated and cared for with the decency and respect they deserve.
SOURCE: Scotsman News
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Elder Abuse: Case File Against Children for Abandoning Mother (India)
Kerala police file first case against children for abandoning mother
Kollam (Kerala), Sep.30 (ANI):
Kerala Police in Kollam district has recently made first arrest in a case against six siblings under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 for allegedly neglecting and abandoning their widowed mother, who is 74-year-old.
The case is first of its kind under the Act.
Acting on a complaint by the social activists, the District Collector of Kollam ordered an inquiry, and based on the report the police registered a case against the six siblings and the eldest son was arrested.
He was, however, later released on bail.
Laxmikutty, the mother, never thought that one day her children would lock her up in her own home at an age when she would need them the most.
Of the fourteen children that Laxmikutty gave birth to only six survived and they are today well-settled in their personal lives.
But Laxmikutty had been leading a pitiable life as her children refused to look after her. She was taken to a hospital after social workers in the neighbourhood learnt about her plight.
According to A. Shajahan, Collector, Kollam District, if Laxmikutty's sons don't bother for her care and legal action will be taken against all of them.
Abandoned old people have become a social problem in Kerala, where 11 per cent of the total population of 36 million people, fall under the senior citizen category.
Abridged
SOURCE: NewsTrack Kerala
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Kollam (Kerala), Sep.30 (ANI):
Kerala Police in Kollam district has recently made first arrest in a case against six siblings under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 for allegedly neglecting and abandoning their widowed mother, who is 74-year-old.
The case is first of its kind under the Act.
Acting on a complaint by the social activists, the District Collector of Kollam ordered an inquiry, and based on the report the police registered a case against the six siblings and the eldest son was arrested.
He was, however, later released on bail.
Laxmikutty, the mother, never thought that one day her children would lock her up in her own home at an age when she would need them the most.
Of the fourteen children that Laxmikutty gave birth to only six survived and they are today well-settled in their personal lives.
But Laxmikutty had been leading a pitiable life as her children refused to look after her. She was taken to a hospital after social workers in the neighbourhood learnt about her plight.
According to A. Shajahan, Collector, Kollam District, if Laxmikutty's sons don't bother for her care and legal action will be taken against all of them.
Abandoned old people have become a social problem in Kerala, where 11 per cent of the total population of 36 million people, fall under the senior citizen category.
Abridged
SOURCE: NewsTrack Kerala
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Elder Abuse Prevention: Tough Penal Provisions (India)
Tough Penal Provisions to Ensure Safety of Elderly
By Meira Kumar
September 30, 2008
Safeguarding the rights of the elderly is an issue of paramount concern today for all of us, therefore, to deter inhuman incidents against them by their families, we have included penal provisions such as jail for three months in case of abandoning them informed Smt. Meira Kumar, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment on the fifth meeting of the National Council for Older Persons (NCOP) here today.
While sharing important and innovative initiatives taken during formulation of legislation in the field of welfare of elderly, the Minister said that the efforts have born fruit and ‘The Maintenance and Welfare of parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007’ has come in to effect from 31st December, 2007, for providing security and protection to the life and property of the senior citizens, as recognized under the Constitution. The main aim of the legislation is to create an enabling mechanism to make the claim for maintenance simpler, speedier and cheaper. Thus, it provides for the establishment of tribunals presided by an officer not lower in rank than the Sub-Divisional Officer (civil). The District Magistrate Level Officer will be the appellate authority.
Some of these projects are running of Day Care Centres for Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia Patients; Physiotherapy clinics for older persons; Disability and hearing aids for older persons; Mental health care and Specialized care for the Older Persons; Help-lines and Counseling Centre for the Older persons; Sensitizing programmes for children particularly in Schools and Colleges; Regional Resources and Training Centres; and Formation of Vridha Sanghas/Senior Citizen Association.
Abridged
SOURCE: Press Release India Government
----------------------------------------------------
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By Meira Kumar
September 30, 2008
Safeguarding the rights of the elderly is an issue of paramount concern today for all of us, therefore, to deter inhuman incidents against them by their families, we have included penal provisions such as jail for three months in case of abandoning them informed Smt. Meira Kumar, Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment on the fifth meeting of the National Council for Older Persons (NCOP) here today.
While sharing important and innovative initiatives taken during formulation of legislation in the field of welfare of elderly, the Minister said that the efforts have born fruit and ‘The Maintenance and Welfare of parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007’ has come in to effect from 31st December, 2007, for providing security and protection to the life and property of the senior citizens, as recognized under the Constitution. The main aim of the legislation is to create an enabling mechanism to make the claim for maintenance simpler, speedier and cheaper. Thus, it provides for the establishment of tribunals presided by an officer not lower in rank than the Sub-Divisional Officer (civil). The District Magistrate Level Officer will be the appellate authority.
Some of these projects are running of Day Care Centres for Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia Patients; Physiotherapy clinics for older persons; Disability and hearing aids for older persons; Mental health care and Specialized care for the Older Persons; Help-lines and Counseling Centre for the Older persons; Sensitizing programmes for children particularly in Schools and Colleges; Regional Resources and Training Centres; and Formation of Vridha Sanghas/Senior Citizen Association.
Abridged
SOURCE: Press Release India Government
----------------------------------------------------
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Elder Abuse: Nurse Talked of Overdosing Patients (IL. USA)
Report: Nurse talked of overdosing patients
By Karen Jordan
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A state investigation reveals six mysterious deaths at a suburban nursing home may not have been the work of an angel of death.
Marty Himebaugh was charged last April in connection with four deaths at the home in Woodstock. Now, the state report claims those deaths may not have been mercy killings. Rather, the report indicates the nursing home residents were killed because they were just difficult to deal with.
The conclusions of this report are shocking, that for six months, a nurse talked openly of sedating or giving overdoses of drugs to patients who were either difficult to handle or who had lived long enough.
The investigative report by the Illinois Department of Public Health was completed in April. The 130-page document delves into the series of suspicious deaths that took place at the Woodstock Residence Nursing Home two years ago.
SOURCE: Chicago ABC news
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By Karen Jordan
Thursday, September 25, 2008
A state investigation reveals six mysterious deaths at a suburban nursing home may not have been the work of an angel of death.
Marty Himebaugh was charged last April in connection with four deaths at the home in Woodstock. Now, the state report claims those deaths may not have been mercy killings. Rather, the report indicates the nursing home residents were killed because they were just difficult to deal with.
The conclusions of this report are shocking, that for six months, a nurse talked openly of sedating or giving overdoses of drugs to patients who were either difficult to handle or who had lived long enough.
The investigative report by the Illinois Department of Public Health was completed in April. The 130-page document delves into the series of suspicious deaths that took place at the Woodstock Residence Nursing Home two years ago.
SOURCE: Chicago ABC news
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September 30, 2008
Elder Care: Aged Services Threat Sparks Alarm (Australia)
Aged services threat sparks alarm
September 30, 2008
VICTORIAN hospitals and nursing homes will be placed under massive strain if a proposed federal takeover of aged care reduces home-based services for the elderly to the levels of other states, union and aged care groups warn.
The Australian Services Union backed warnings by the Municipal Association of Victoria in yesterday's Age that services such as meals on wheels, respite care and cleaning would be in jeopardy without the annual $100 million voluntarily contributed by Victorian councils.
Branch secretary Brian Parkinson said Victoria, the only state where home care is provided by local councils, had the best model for providing services to the elderly.
"The proof is we get people out of hospitals and back into their own homes quicker than any other state," he said.
The chief executive of Aged and Community Care Victoria, Gerard Mansour, said the Victorian Government and councils subsidised the Home and Community Care program more than any other state.
"It would be a very disturbing outcome if this was seen as an opportunity to reduce services to the lowest common denominator, for example attempting to make decisions based on price without regard to quality," he said.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Age, Melbourne
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September 30, 2008
VICTORIAN hospitals and nursing homes will be placed under massive strain if a proposed federal takeover of aged care reduces home-based services for the elderly to the levels of other states, union and aged care groups warn.
The Australian Services Union backed warnings by the Municipal Association of Victoria in yesterday's Age that services such as meals on wheels, respite care and cleaning would be in jeopardy without the annual $100 million voluntarily contributed by Victorian councils.
Branch secretary Brian Parkinson said Victoria, the only state where home care is provided by local councils, had the best model for providing services to the elderly.
"The proof is we get people out of hospitals and back into their own homes quicker than any other state," he said.
The chief executive of Aged and Community Care Victoria, Gerard Mansour, said the Victorian Government and councils subsidised the Home and Community Care program more than any other state.
"It would be a very disturbing outcome if this was seen as an opportunity to reduce services to the lowest common denominator, for example attempting to make decisions based on price without regard to quality," he said.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Age, Melbourne
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Aged Care: Select Committee Recommended Changes (New Zealand)
Select committee recommends changes to aged-care
NZPA
September 29 2008
Parliament's health select committee has made a range of recommendations about funding the aged-care workforce and improving quality of care.
The committee considered a petition organised by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and Service and Food Workers Union and signed by close to 34,000 people.
The unions wanted fair pay for workers comparable to counterparts in public hospitals, adequate staffing levels and funding for appropriate training.
The committee recommended
Abridged
SOURCE : National Business Review
----------------------------------------------------
Proper Aged Care policies and funding are vital to prevention of Elder Abuse.
More Recent Posts from Spotlight on Elder Abuse
NZPA
September 29 2008
Parliament's health select committee has made a range of recommendations about funding the aged-care workforce and improving quality of care.
The committee considered a petition organised by the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and Service and Food Workers Union and signed by close to 34,000 people.
The unions wanted fair pay for workers comparable to counterparts in public hospitals, adequate staffing levels and funding for appropriate training.
The committee recommended
Abridged
SOURCE : National Business Review
----------------------------------------------------
Proper Aged Care policies and funding are vital to prevention of Elder Abuse.
More Recent Posts from Spotlight on Elder Abuse
Financial Elder Abuse: Care Worker Sought (Tx. USA)
Health care worker charged with stealing client credit cards
Sep 27, 2008
AUSTIN, TEXAS (KXAN)
Police are looking for a woman suspected in stealing credit cards from the elderly.
There is an arrest warrant out for Sandra Kegler, a care giver at Parsons House assisted living center in North Austin.
According to documents made public Friday, Kegler was identified on security tapes attempting to use credit cards that had been reported missing by residents of Parson's House.
Kegler is charged with injury to an elderly individual.
Abridged
SOURCE: KXAN TV
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Sep 27, 2008
AUSTIN, TEXAS (KXAN)
Police are looking for a woman suspected in stealing credit cards from the elderly.
There is an arrest warrant out for Sandra Kegler, a care giver at Parsons House assisted living center in North Austin.
According to documents made public Friday, Kegler was identified on security tapes attempting to use credit cards that had been reported missing by residents of Parson's House.
Kegler is charged with injury to an elderly individual.
Abridged
SOURCE: KXAN TV
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