If you know someone who is experiencing elder abuse – or you suspect it’s happening to you – call our free Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 724 679. Read about Carey’s* story and how we took steps to maximise their safety while we worked on their case.
Did you know 1 in 6 people experience elder abuse in Australia? It’s actually more common than you might realise. Even more concerning, we know elder abuse is still underreported due to many reasons, including fear of reprisal from the person doing harm, embarrassment from the social stigma attached to it (particularly when a family member is doing the abuse), or avoidance of ‘rocking the boat’.
When you want to contact Advocare for support, know our experienced team won’t shy away from talking about this difficult topic with you. You’re not alone. The Advocare team take various precautions to ensure your safety is paramount, particularly if the person doing harm shares a home with you.
Meet Carey, 70 years of age who was referred to Advocare while they were in hospital by a social worker. Carey had disclosed ongoing emotional and psychological abuse from their partner, including repeated threats to have them removed from their shared home over a 15-year period. As the property was solely owned by the partner, this placed Carey at significant risk of homelessness, made more imperative by Carey’s health issues involved.
How we supported Carey, safely
As part of the safety plan developed by the hospital social worker, Advocare’s advocacy team was able to support Carey to offer options for a safe exit from this abusive situation before being discharged from hospital.
As an example, Carey provided consent for contact, requesting that calls be made at a certain time in the morning. If Carey responded with ‘it’s not convenient at the moment,” this indicated that their partner was present. The Advocare team also made sure no letters or other written correspondence was sent to their home address so they couldn’t be intercepted by the person doing harm.
Ensuring Carey’s safety first, greatly assisted in building rapport and trust to help plan their exit from the abusive relationship more confidently.
Together with the hospital social worker, Advocare’s advocate helped finalise the safety plan prior to their discharge.
Key steps included:
- Supporting Carey to make contact with the Department of Housing who advised Carey would need to attend in person with a supporting letter from their GP to be placed on the priority housing waitlist.
- Contacting My Aged Care to arrange a Residential Respite Care referral code should Carey be forced to leave their home suddenly once they returned.
- Confirming Carey, wished to engage with Advocare again once they were ready to pursue Residential Respite Care options.
Our Advocate also met with Carey in person prior to them being discharged from hospital to provide further information of services that could provide support if they needed it later including legal support and Advocare’s care finder program.
Elder abuse is not OK. If you, or someone you know needs support to address elder abuse, please call the free Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 724 679.
*names have changed to protect identity
