Oct 23, 2017

Your Thoughts Wanted – Elder Abuse Committee

Important matters are being discussed by parliamentary committees here in Western Australia over the next twelve months or so, and I seek your advice, attitudes, and thoughts on these matters.

The matter pertains to elder abuse and is a Legislative Council Select Committee (Upper House, WA State Parliament) Inquiry into Elder Abuse.

With the release of an Australian Law Reform Commission Report, much has been said in recent months about elder abuse in Australia.

But this matter has long been on the conscience of aged care providers. I took part in a Commonwealth aged care services review into elder abuse on behalf of what we then called Aged Care Australia back in 1993-94. Numerous colleagues across the nation have contributed to similar reports and reviews over the years – some at very high level roles.

In this Review the questions for the Committee are quite specific:
a) determine an appropriate definition of elder abuse;
b) identify its prevalence;
c) identify the forms of elder abuse, including but not limited to neglect;
d) identify the risk factors;
e) assess and review the legislative and policy frameworks;
f) assess and review service delivery and agency responses;
g) the capacity of the Western Australia Police to identify and respond to allegations of elder abuse;
h) identify initiatives to empower older persons to better protect themselves from risks of elder abuse as they age;
i) consider new proposals or initiatives which may enhance existing strategies for safeguarding older persons who may be vulnerable to abuse; and
j) consider any other relevant matter.

Again, I ask the question, if you have any thoughts or comments to express, particularly where they have written supporting evidence, I would welcome your comments, along with citations, that I can include into a paper that I am preparing as a submission to the Join Select Committee. Alternatively, you can make you own submission and forward it electronically to eld@parliament.wa.gov.au.

Submissions to the Elder Abuse Committee close on Friday 17 November 2017.

I hope you can put your thoughts into these Reviews folks. Your contributions really do have an impact in the minds of those we elect to govern us.

Nice chatting, and in advance – thank you.

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