Australia’s population is aging and living longer.
Age, mental health and medication of an older person can increase their vulnerability and reduce their capability for self-protection. This is fertile ground for abuse to occur.
Elder abuse can be defined as:
- The mistreatment of an older person
- Is usually committed by someone the older person trusts;
- Can be financial, physical, psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect; and
- Is usually an intentional act (or failure to act) that causes or creates a risk of harm to an older person.
There are no mandatory reporting laws for elder abuse in Australia. The most common form of abuse is financial exploitation; with mistreatment & neglect following.
Coercion to revise wills, theft of personal property, forced withdrawals of cash from bank accounts, or pressure to make loans to family and/or caregivers is more common than you might think.
In the majority of cases involving the sudden suspicious death of an older person, the motivating factor has been financial gain.
If you know someone who is being abused, or suspect someone may be a perpetrator; please call Castrikum Adams Legal so we can assist.