Free program educating on elder abuse

Named Abuse: Recognising and Reporting, the program is aimed at home care providers, managers, direct care workers, co-ordinators, case managers and anyone interested in the well-being and care of older people in the community.

The World Health Organisation’s World Report on Ageing and Health indicates that older adults frequently find themselves mistreated in various ways by people they trust, with significant lasting consequences.

Elder Abuse is defined as any act which causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone they know and trust, such as a family member or friend. The abuse may be physical, social, financial, psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect.

At last months National Elder Abuse Conference in Melbourne, Attorney-General for Australia Senator the Hon. George Brandis QC announced the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) will conduct an inquiry into laws and frameworks to safeguard older Australians from elder abuse.

Senator Brandis said that the “Australian Government is taking significant steps to put the rights of older Australians on the national agenda. The Government is appalled by reports of the levels of elder abuse within our communities. As the World Health Organisation identified, effective responses and prevention measures are less developed than for family violence and child abuse”.

The ACC program educates participants on what constitutes abuse, recognising the signs of possible abuse in older people and know what to do in case of suspected abuse.

Abuse: Recognising and Reporting is a 25-minute program that aligns to the Home Care Common Standards 1.2 Regulatory Compliance, 1.6 Risk Management and 3.3 Complaints and Service User Feedback.

Pre-register for free on the ACC website. Watch the trailer about this program below.