June 15 is United Nations World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), and its goal is to focus global attention on the problem of elder abuse, workshop ideas for how best to reduce incidents of violence against elders, increase reporting of all forms of abuse, and develop elder friendly policies.
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Several recent high profile media exposés have shone a light on circumstances of unacceptable physical and financial elder abuse in Australian aged care residences.
Such treatment should be abhorrent to all of us, and as the CEO of an aged care provider, I take a zero tolerance approach to all forms of elder abuse.
But with the focus of media attention on aged care residences, it can be easy to forget that elder abuse is a concern across all segments of the community - not just those in care.
In fact, in Australia most elder abuse is financial and occurs within families, involving parents and children.
As well as physical and financial, elder abuse can be psychological, social or the result of neglect. It might not be obvious, but we should all be alert for signs of elder abuse involving our ageing friends, family and other vulnerable older people.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day aims to help us not only recognise elder abuse, but oppose it as a community, and the first step in combating elder abuse is to change ageist values and attitudes.
Many of us are aware that ageism is part of our culture.
We see this played out through discrimination in the workforce, the invisibility of seniors in the media, the huge market for anti-ageing products and the jokes people make about memory loss and ‘senior’s moments’.
But what we might not realise is that there is a causal connection between ‘ageist’ attitudes and elder abuse. Because it is so much a part of our society, it can be hard to recognise ageism.
A simple test is to put yourself in the shoes of an older person, consider a scenario affecting them and ask:
- How would I feel if I was treated this way?
- How would I feel if younger people were treated this way?
- Would I want to comply with these restrictions in my own home?
- Would it be acceptable to discriminate against women, or against a single racial group, in this way?
Thinking this way is known as growing ‘generational intelligence’, and helps us all take a more positive value stance toward age diversity in society and the workplace.
The second step in combating elder abuse is to the reduce risk factors that leave people vulnerable, including social isolation and loss of control over personal finances.
At a global level, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is calling for government policies that foster respect for elders and allow them to continue to be productive members of society.
As individuals, we might have limited influence over the government, but at a grass roots level we can all contribute to the fight against elder abuse by re-thinking our own attitudes and behaviours towards older people.
Ultimately, in an ageing population, we all have the potential to face prejudice based on our age if we live long enough.
Let’s work together to help the United Nations build a world that is safe for elders to live in.
NSW Elder Abuse Helpline 1800 628 221
Patrick Reid is the IRT Group CEO
