Partnership to prevent elder abuse
Educating professionals to work more effectively with older Victorians who have dementia, in order to identify and prevent financial abuse, will be the focus of a new partnership between Alzheimer’s Australia and State Trustees.
State Trustees chief executive, Craig Dent, claims working with Alzheimer's Australia Vic to prevent financial abuse will address a
The partnership, launched yesterday to coincide with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, will involve State Trustees employees participating in Alzheimer's Australia Vic dementia related education modules.
In turn, Alzheimer's Australia Vic employees will participate in professional development from State Trustees which will focus on identifying and managing financial elder abuse.
Maree McCabe, Alzheimer's Australia chief executive, says there is a “great synergy” in the partnership.
“Like State Trustees, we’re working to support older Victorians in a variety of ways. Our employees will benefit significantly from having access to the expertise of State Trustees employees around preventing elder financial abuse,” Ms McCabe says.
Unfortunately people with dementia are more vulnerable to financial abuse as their capacity to detect this may be compromised, Ms McCabe says.
State Trustees chief executive, Craig Dent, claims by working together, the two organisations are addressing a “serious societal issue” where someone, usually a family member, friend or carer, takes advantage of an elderly person to exploit them for financial gain.
“Both Alzheimer’s Australia Vic and State Trustees are upskilling employees to understand how to better protect older people from financial abuse by creating plans and safeguards for them when they are at their most vulnerable,” Mr Dent says.
According to Mr Dent, in the early stages of dementia, there is a real opportunity to protect a person from abuse by ensuring their affairs are in order.
While financial elder abuse can be difficult to track, State Trustees’ research shows that up to 5% of people in Victoria over 65 years have experienced financial abuse, most commonly by their children.
Commons signs of financial elder abuse include missing belongings, fear, stress and anxiety expressed by an older person, and significant bank withdrawals or transfers.
DPS News is at Aged Rights Advocacy Service's World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in Adelaide today.
