Dementia and Elder Abuse: Challenges in identification, disclosure and response

The National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study * reported that 1 in 6 older Australians experience elder abuse. Elder Abuse, a form of Family Violence, is often difficult to identify and the response across jurisdictions and sectors is fragmented and does not address the broader individual needs.

As practitioners working in a range of sectors, it can be difficult to understand the intersection of family violence/elder abuse, dementia/capacity, ageing and health and its impact on an older person. Recognising this is vital in supporting them and supporting them to address the harm and to keep them safe. Any intervention requires a multifaceted service sector response.

This webinar will discuss the challenges in identifying and supporting older people with cognitive impairment who are experiencing elder abuse and highlights the importance of a collaborative service response to meet the varying individual needs of the older person.

Learning Outcomes: By the end of this program, participants will be able to: Recognise and respond to elder abuse; Identify dementia as a risk factor for elder abuse; Understand the impacts of dementia and intersectionality as a contributing factor for elder abuse; Gain clarity between dementia and decision-making capacity and Adapt and manage risk and safety in the context of elder abuse

Presenter: Dominque Horne is the Elder Abuse Liaison Officer with The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Dominque is a social worker with more than 30 years’ experience working in elder abuse, aged care, family violence and disability and has held senior roles in government, health and the NFP sectors.