Elder abuse cases rise
Age Concern Nelson Tasman responded to more than 100 reports of elder abuse during the past year – up from about 90 the year earlier.
However, elder abuse response services adviser Mal Drummond said the jump in cases may indicate greater awareness of the issue rather than a hike in the number of people falling victim to abuse.
‘‘Awareness is part of it,’’ Drummond said. ‘‘People aware of who to go to if they suspect elder abuse.’’
Though the numbers were up, those people affected by financial abuse remained the same, at about 41 per cent.
Financial abuse can include the unauthorised taking of money or possessions, misuse of power of attorney, failure to repay loans, using the home and/or utilities of an older person without contributing to costs and scams.
Scammers were becoming more sophisticated. Victims no longer received a letter from a ‘‘Nigerian prince’’ in the post with their name spelt incorrectly.
Age Concern manager Caroline Budge said some older residents this year had been called by people claiming to be from the Inland Revenue Department who told them they needed to follow their instructions to avoid getting a criminal record.
‘‘So they really play on people’s fears,’’ Budge said.
Drummond said he hoped older people had a ‘‘capable guardian’’ – a person they could trust – to discuss such calls or any concerns ‘‘to be doubly sure that what’s happened is OK or not OK’’.
‘‘If they haven’t got anyone, they can call us,’’ he said. However, despite the increasing sophistication of scammers, about 70 per cent of abusers were family members of the older person.
Abuse related to housing had become a trend over the past few years. ‘‘Younger people moving in with older parents or grandparents due to a shortage of suitable or affordable housing,’’ Drummond said. ‘‘The dynamics can be very complex due to the loyalties often.’’
It was believed the additional pressure of the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown was behind an increase in referrals to family harm incidents affecting older people towards the end of alert level 4.
‘‘In saying that, we’re not talking a huge number,’’ Drummond said. ‘‘Three or four towards the end of lockdown. I think, they would not have occurred if it wasn’t for Covid.’’
There was a correlation between elder abuse and isolation or loneliness.
‘‘The more connected you are, the less likely you are to be feeling you need to jump online and form a friendship with somebody,’’ Budge said.
Drummond stressed that the vast majority of older people were respected and treated well by their family and the wider community.
A petition to save Nikau House has gathered more than 2200 signatures since it was launched by a woman whose sister has used the service on a weekly basis for the last 10 years.
Nikau House staff were told at the beginning of June of the proposal to close the mental health facility, which was formed more than 30 years ago and was considered ‘‘ahead of its time’’.
The woman said her sister’s mental health had deteriorated since Nikau House closed when the country went into level 4 lockdown on March 26. It had been closed for the last three months, with the health board confirming it would reopen next Monday.
‘‘I have seen the hive of activity, social connection and professional support on offer. I believe it is the therapeutic and social emphasis of the organisation which keeps many members going and indeed is my sister’s lifeline,’’ she said.
‘‘If you take the appropriate support away, I believe the result will be more pressure on GPs and an increase of admissions to the mental health unit, which will require even more resources.’’
The closure proposal mentioned transitioning clients to other existing non-government organisations, community centres and marae.
But the woman said the responsibility of mental health should lie with the district health board.
Nelson Marlborough Health general manager of mental health Jane Kinsey said last week that the proposed changes were not just about Nikau House as a facility, but about reducing duplication and strengthening services to support those with mental illness.
When Nikau House was established, Kinsey said it was ‘‘ahead of its time’’ and since then other community agencies had been set up.
One of those was mental health peer support service the White House, which is based in The Wood.
PSA organiser Hilma Schieving said while some people chose to attend both the White House and Nikau House, the services complemented each other and needed to co-exist.
Nelson Marlborough Health is contacting service users to be part of the consultation. Anyone with experience of Nikau House or similar services could email Nelson Marlborough Health until June 26.