World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 15 June 2018

During 2018, COTA NT continued to speak out on the issue of elder abuse, as well as promoting awareness of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June.

Darwin Community Legal Service team present the artwork to MLAs Paul Kirby and Lauren Moss outside Parliament House

Elder Abuse Awareness Workshop

In June, we hosted an Elder Abuse Awareness Workshop on the International Elder Abuse Awareness Day (Friday 15 June) held in conjunction with Darwin Legal Community Services.

This workshop included:

• thought-provoking videos presentations
• And a painting “Respect Value Protect” was created by workshop participants with artist Sandra Kendal (this was later presented to MLAs Lauren Moss and Paul Kirby).

Seniors Voice

We used our weekly Seniors Voice column published on 26 June 2018  in the NT News regarding the financial abuse that our elder citizens can experience.

Respecting, valuing and protecting seniors

We used our weekly Seniors Voice column published on 27 February 2018  in the NT News to voice concern about Territorians suffering financial abuse.

Local concern about financial abuse of elderly Territorians

COTA NT 27/02/2018 – Seniors Voice with Sue Shearer 

Local concern about financial abuse of elderly Territorians

It was interesting watching the four big banks (NAB, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ and Westpac) on the news recently. They expressed their concern regarding the financial abuse of older Australians. According to a 2016 Australian Institute of Family Studies research report, it is likely that between 2% and 10% of older Australians experience elder abuse in any given year, and that financial abuse appears to be the most common form of abuse experienced by elderly people.

COTA NT has also received calls from local banks expressing their concern about elderly clients who it appears are being coerced into giving their banking details to family members and friends, who then take advantage of them. This is an extremely difficult situation when perpetrators are family members and an elderly person may rather put up with the abuse than lose contact with the family or family member. One suggestion that the four big banks made was that Power of Attorney information should be made available to them, so that they can check that the family member has the right to act on behalf of their elderly relative. This deserves further consideration.

If you are concerned about financial abuse, contact the Elder Abuse Information Line on 1800 037 072 for assistance. It operates between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday and is free to call from landlines and public phones. The service will call you back if you are using a mobile.

Other issues coming to light this week was the way in which some users of motorised scooters are driving. COTA NT have recommended to a Senate Enquiry that a speed of 10kmph be the normal maximum on open pathways, but just 5kmph in pedestrian areas. In shopping centres, motorised scooter users have been known to presume a right of way and not take care around pedestrians.