News

Guide for legal firms to help protect vulnerable

COINCIDING with Dementia Action Week, the Law Council of Australia has released a ‘Best Practice Guide for Legal Practitioners in relation to Elder Financial Abuse’.

The Guide is intended to assist legal practitioners to identify and address potential issues regarding elder financial abuse in the preparation and execution of wills and other advance planning documents.
Law Council President Pauline Wright says that it has never been more important for Australia and the legal profession to do more to ensure that the human rights of older persons are strongly protected.
“Today, one in every six Australians (15.9 per cent) are aged 65 and over, and these figures are set to increase,” she said.
“Legal practitioners are in a key position to recognise and prevent the abuse of older persons, including financial abuse.”
The Guide is available at lawcouncil.asn.au.

 

Campaign to raise financial abuse concern

SENIORS Rights Service has launched a three-month radio and social media campaign, ‘Money Matters’, which focuses on the financial abuse of older people.
For seniors, it is estimated that financial abuse is the most common form of abuse. Much of this abuse occurs within families or involves someone that the older person thought they could trust.
For this reason, the older person often experiences shame and finds it difficult to report the abuse or to talk about it.
Covid-19 has intensified issues around financial abuse and organisers are hoping to reach out to older people who may be living with an abuser, through the radio campaign, supported by social media.
‘Money Matters’ is also aimed at reaching people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, older women and people living in regional communities.
Illustrating financial abuse issues, the campaign’s call to action is for seniors who are experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, financial abuse to contact Seniors Rights Service to talk through legal issues or access social work support services.
Call Seniors Rights Service on 1800 424 079 to access all free, confidential support and information.