NEWS Elder abuse ‘rife’ in NT

THERE is no dedicated emergency accommodation in the NT for elderly people fleeing abusive situations, and the NT Government says there are no plans to build one.

The news is disappointing for Council on the Ageing NT chief executive Sue Shearer, who insists more needs to be done to protect elderly Territorians.

Ms Shearer says elder abuse is a significant problem, and insists the NT needs emergency accommodation that caters to the older age group to help vulnerable Territorians escape dangerous situations.

According to Ms Shearer, many elderly people facing abuse have nowhere to go, and are often forced to stay with the perpetrator.

“The perpetrator unfortunately often stays in the dwelling – and with a nine-year wait list for accommodation – where are these people meant to go?” she said.

Territory Families Minister Dale Wakefield agreed elder abuse is a significant issue, and said 10 per cent or 15 per cent of senior Territorians were affected. A spokeswoman for the minister said the most common form of elder abuse in all jurisdictions was financial abuse, followed by emotional abuse and neglect.

“There are no current plans for any dedicated accommodation facilities,” she said.

According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, evidence about the prevalence of elder abuse in Australia is limited.

“If international indications provide any guidance, it is likely that between 2 per cent and 10 per cent of older Australians experience elder abuse in any given year, with the prevalence of neglect possibly higher,” a recent research report said.

“However, the available evidence suggests that most elder abuse is intra-familial and intergenerational, with mothers most often being the subject of abuse by sons, although abuse by daughters is also common, and fathers are victims too.”

With Australia’s rapidly ageing population, the report says there is a need to collect more evidence and plan for the nation’s future. The concerning situation comes amid a NT Government review of the pensioners concession scheme.

Pensioners have voiced concerns the government is using the review as cover for reducing entitlements.

Four seniors’ advocacy groups have jointly circulated a petition calling for cost of living concessions to remain attached to existing utilities and services; to cap power and water concessions to a regional average; to review savings to be redistributed to existing concessions and ensure all seniors aged over 65 are included in any future scheme.