Opinion: New help for victims of elder abuse

Growing scourge: Up to 70,000 seniors will experience some form of elder abuse this year and most of them will be harmed by family members. Photo/file

By Maggioe Barry, Seniors Minister

THE RECENT sentencing of an Auckland woman for fleecing her aged father of his life savings reinforces the urgent need to intervene to change older people's lives and provide services that keep them safe from elder abuse.

When World War II veteran Ron Greenhalgh died last year, his life savings and the money for his funeral were gone, frittered away at the TAB by his daughter Carolyn Alleyne.

Branded "cold, callous, heartless and cruel" by her brother, Alleyne is now serving 10 months' home detention following convictions for theft by a person in a special relationship.

This example and other sickening cases, combined with our ageing population, mean a different approach is needed.

Effective and accessible help and intervention needs to be available wherever and whenever victims need it.

This is why the Government has this month launched a new service to intervene to help protect vulnerable older New Zealanders, with increased funding.

There will be a wider geographical spread of service providers to help more at-risk elderly than ever.

The service is available in each region through organisations that have been selected specifically based on their ability to deliver an effective intervention service for our vulnerable older people.

The Ministry of Social Development ran a rigorous procurement and tendering process, with applications assessed by an independent panel.

In addition to longstanding providers such as Age Concern, which nationally receives a funding increase, 18 new organisations will be involved, including 10 Age Concern branches that will be funded for the first time.

The new contracts commit organisations to delivering an effective intervention service for vulnerable older people, including better access to culturally appropriate services.

The cornerstone of the new service Elder Abuse Response Service (EARS) is a free and confidential 24/7 help-line, 0800 32 668 65 (0800 EA NOT OK). Registered nurses will be on the other end of the phone to listen and advise anyone who needs information or support about elder abuse -- whether they are the victim or someone concerned it might be happening to a friend or family member.

Callers will then be referred to their local elder abuse services to get the help they need.

With translation services available to the free 24/7 helpline, and providers selected to ensure services are culturally responsive, the new service will be able to respond to the social, economic, political and spiritual values of our different cultures and ethnic groups, including Maori, Pasifika, Indian, Chinese and Korean communities.

The ministry's SuperSeniors Champions are adding their voices to help spread the word and encourage people to speak out and ask for advice and help about elder abuse. They are a group of influential, articulate advocates for positive ageing.

These non-political honorary role models, led by patron Sir Peter Snell, have made a series of videos which will be on the SuperSeniors website www.superseniors.msd.govt.nz

All seniors deserve to be treated with respect, with dignity and with care, whatever their background or circumstances.

Older New Zealanders should be able to trust their families and those close to them but the sad reality is that 79 per cent of those who report elder abuse are harmed by family members and 43 per cent of victims live with their abuser.

In addition, 59 per cent of seniors are disabled in some way and they, along with the wider disabled community, are vulnerable to abuse.

Up to 70,000 seniors will experience some form of elder abuse this year -- physical, psychological, sexual, financial or neglect -- but the problem is largely hidden, with most cases not reported because many victims are too ashamed to admit they are being abused. That has to change.

The message is: "Elder abuse is not OK. If you see abuse, please speak out against it."