Elder law and abuse

What is Elder law?

Elder law is a specialist area of practice that deals specifically with the unique legal challenges faced by some of the most at risk members of the community: older persons. These challenges include the significant financial, physical, and mental impacts suffered as a result of elder abuse.

Elder abuse

What is elder abuse?

Any act or lack of appropriate action occurring within a relationship where there is an implication of trust, which results in harm or distress to the older person. Financial and psychological abuse are the most prevalent types of abuse of older people.

Abuse types include:

• Financial/economic
• Neglect
• Physical
• Psychological/emotional
• Sexual
• Social
• Coercive control
• Chemical

Risk factors include:

• Addictive behaviour
• Carer stress
• Dependency
• Family conflict
• Isolation
• Language or cultural barriers
• Medical or psychological conditions

Getting help

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing elder abuse at the hands of a family member or partner, and the abuse is happening right now including threat to life call 000. If it’s not an emergency, call Policelink on 131 444 (24 hours, 7 days).   

If you or someone you know needs crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Referral and contact information

• Elder Abuse Helpline on 1300 651 192(Queensland only) and (07) 3867 2525 (rest of Australia).
   Available Monday – Friday from 9am to 5pm.
• Police on 000 (triple zero) if you witness or a victim of violence, or if you are worried the older person is at immediate risk. QPS’s Vulnerable Persons Unit is dedicated to the prevention, disruption, investigation and response to domestic and family violence (DFV) and other harms perpetrated to vulnerable Queenslanders, and supports everyone’s right to feel safe and respected and live a life free of violence and abuse.
• Seniors Legal and Support Service (SLASS) provides free legal and social work support to people who are experiencing elder abuse, mistreatment or financial exploitation. SLASS can help people who are over the age of 60, and any First Nations person who is over the age of 50. 
• The Office of the Public Guardian (OPG) is an independent statutory office established to protect the rights, interests and wellbeing of adults with impaired decision-making capacity, and children and young people in the child protection system (foster care, kinship care and residential care) and at other visitable sites such a youth detention centre, disability service or mental health facility.

Other helpful links

• My Aged Care - Elder abuse concerns
• Queensland Government - Elder abuse
• Queensland Government, Department of Communities - There's no excuse for elder abuse