World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2024: new EARS providers & Aotearoa research

Wed 19 Jun 2024

MSD recently announced new Elder Abuse Response Service (EARS) providers. In observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, we highlight recent Aotearoa research related to abuse of older people.

photo of 2 older people sitting on a bench looking at the ocean

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day takes place every year on 15 June. Age Concern New Zealand raises awareness of elder abuse across the week 15-22 June. Their theme this year is Spot the Signs of elder abuse. Chief Executive of Age Concern New Zealand, Karen Billings-Jensen, said:

"We see examples of Elder Abuse every day across our Age Concern network. I know people are spotting signs in their families and communities too, but might not be sure if it is Elder Abuse, or know what to do [to] help."

She encourages you to reach out if you are concerned for yourself or someone you know. Minister for Seniors, Casey Costello, said World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is "...the time to highlight that there is help available if older people need it or if anyone is concerned." Minister Costello also shared a video message through the Office of Seniors New Zealand Facebook page.

Learn more about elder abuse from Age Concern. For questions or help you can:

contact the Elder Abuse Response Service on 0800 32 668 65, text 5032 or email support@elderabuse.nz
contact Age Concern at 0800 65 2 105
contact your local Age Concern for services in your area.

New Elder Abuse Response Service providers

The May 2024 Family Violence Sexual Violence Update from the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) announced that there are 11 new providers of Elder Abuse Response Services (EARS):

Te Ahi Kaa Indigenous Solutions (Auckland)
TOA Pacific Incorporated (Auckland)
CNSST Foundation (Auckland)
VisionWest Community Trust (Auckland)
Franklin Family Support Trust Board (Auckland)
Waiuku Family Support Network Charitable Trust (Auckland)
Raukawa Settlement Trust (South Waikato)
Hauraki Māori Trust Board (Thames-Coromandel)
Te Whare Tiaki Wāhine Refuge (Porirua)
Purapura Whetu Trust (Christchurch)
Christchurch Resettlement Services (Christchurch)

This brings the total number of Elder Abuse Response Services to 37. The May Update also noted that the MSD 3-year prevention of abuse of older people work programme "...is now focused on delivering two significant research projects: a national prevalence study of the abuse of older people; and research to better understand different cultural perspectives on the abuse of older people."

Recent research related to abuse of older people

Aotearoa research

The Aged Care Commissioner Carolyn Cooper released a report highlighting the need for action to improve the health and disability systems. The report draws on the voices of thousands of older people, their families including carers, and service providers to outline core issues in health and disability services for older people. The report includes areas the Aged Care Commissioner plans to further explore including key points related to changing how the system supports older people to age well:

"Using strengths-based language to consider health and disability needs of older people
Addressing stigma, bias, and barriers to older people seeking support or using services, especially by providing coordinated, accessible information on available services to reach those in isolated and rural communities
Strategies and interventions to end the stigma of loneliness and promote social connection
Considering links between housing, transport, and socio-economic resources to older people’s health and wellbeing
Addressing violence against older persons as a determinant of health that requires particular attention, including aspects that are especially prevalent in instances of violence against older people as a family violence issue, eg, financial exploitation and abuse, self-neglect by older people, hoarding, etc."

Read the full report Amplifying the voices of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand (2024).

MSD published a review of the initiatives funded through the Elder Abuse Prevention Fund. A key finding from the review was that the "initiatives uncovered a substantial scale of need in this space." Staff involved in the initiatives also highlighted service availability and resource gaps in their communities. For more information see the report Gathering insights from the Elder Abuse Prevention Fund: a learning and insights review prepared for the Office for Seniors (2024). Learn more about the Elder Abuse Prevention Fund from the Office for Seniors.

MSD's recent report identifying service gaps highlighted a number of gaps for older people related to workforce capability, holistic services, sexual violence services, emergency accommodation and tailored services. See more details in the full report, A report outlining family violence and sexual violence service gaps in Aotearoa (2024).

Professor Edwina Pio recently completed research on the experiences of ageing Asians in Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau. The research involved focus groups with people who were over 65 who identified with Chinese, Indian or Korean ethnicity. It also involved interviews with managers who work with older people. The research findings focus on the joys and vulnerabilities of this cohort of ageing Asians, framed under the concept of belonging. One of the 5 key themes that emerged from the focus groups and interviews was elder abuse. More detailed findings from the research have been published in the report, Belonging as an Ageing Asian (2024), funded by the Selwyn Foundation.

Hohou te Rongo Kahukura – Outing Violence and Rainbow Hub Waikato explored Takatāpui and Rainbow elders' experiences through a combination of focus groups, interviews and an online survey. The research was focused on identifying any specific risks of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation and advocating for meaningful inclusion of the needs of Takatāpui and Rainbow older people in strategies, policies and services for older people in Aotearoa. Fact sheets, podcasts and a report share the research findings. The in-depth report, Uplifting Takatāpui and Rainbow Elder Voices: Tukua kia tū takitahi ngā whetū o te rangi (2023), highlighted how many Takatāpui and Rainbow elders struggled to balance safety and isolation due to the impacts of multiple and compounding forms of mistreatment and discrimination from racism, heterosexism and colonisation; state violence; and abuse, exclusion, denial and violence from family members.

Researcher Kate Diesfield authored the book chapter Who do we turn to? Safeguarding residents in aged care settings from abuse and neglect in New Zealand (2023). It looks at the protections available to promote older people’s safety in residential settings considering institutional care, domestic and international safeguards.

For more research and reports from Aotearoa, see this custom search of our library database for older women, older people or elder abuse.

International research and initiatives

WHO published the briefing note Violence against women 60 years and older: Data availability, methodological issues and recommendations for good practice (2024). The briefing note is part of a WHO series focused on strengthening the measurement and data collection of violence against particular groups of women or specific aspects of violence against women. WHO also shared a database of promising interventions to prevent and respond to abuse of older people.

WHO, UN agencies and the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse hosted a webinar this year that looked at global progress and priorities for ending abuse of older people. In the webinar, a panel discussed progress over the last 2 years to address the United Nations Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021–2030) 5 priorities identified to tackle abuse of older people.

A number of research projects have been undertaken in Australia states related to abuse of older people. Publications from this research include:

See our library for more international reports and research on older women, older people or elder abuse.

Rise in financial elder abuse cases partly due to tough economic times, RNZ, 08.07.2024

Elder abuse can be close to home, Hawkes Bay Today, 24.06.2024

How and when to discuss the tough topics with ageing relatives, RNZ, 19.06.2024

New resources for kaumatua, Waatea News, 19.06.2024 (also see the full interview with Rangimahora Reddy | Chief Executive Rauawaawa Kaumatua Charitable CEO)

Elder abuse; scamming and grooming the vulnerable, NZ Herald, 19.06.2024

Waikato charity announces launch of ‘ground-breaking’ tools to enhance the lives of kaumātua, Te Ao Māori News, 16.06.2024

As global emergencies proliferate, older persons must not be left behind: UN experts, United Nations statements, 14.06.2024

Elder abuse - what you need to know, NZ Police news, 14.06.2024

The long and winding road: the slippery slope to precarity for single older women, National Council of Women of New Zealand | Te Kaunihera Wāhine o Aotearoa news, 14.06.2024

Spotlight on protecting our elders, Otago Daily Times, 13.06.2024