Data shows shocking rate of elder abuse in South Australia and those who are perpetrating it

Ageing South Aussie parents are being exposed to horrendous abuse from those who should love and care for them.

In the past five years there has been a more than 400 per cent increase in reports of elder abuse in South Australia with the majority of perpetrators being adult sons and daughters, it has been revealed.

And experts say the shocking statistics tell only part of the story with many ageing parents too embarrassed to reveal their circumstance.

South Australia was the first state to set up a targeted Adult Safeguarding Unit, to respond to suspicions of abuse in relation to older people and vulnerable adults, including those with a disability.

Data shared exclusively with the Sunday Mail shows between October 2019 and June this year, the unit has been contacted 11,338 times.

The unit’s Chief Safeguarding Practitioner, who has asked for her identity to be protected, said the majority of contacts (65.1 per cent) relate to people aged 65 years and older. Almost one in four (24.3 per cent) relate to people with a disability.

“I think probably the biggest change we’ve seen in the past five years is in demand for the service … we’ve had a more than 400 per cent increase,” she said.

More than half of all contacts made relate to concerns about women (57 per cent) with their adult sons and daughters “most often reported as the alleged abusers”.

Most common are reports of verbal, physical, emotional and financial abuse, including, increasingly instances of coercive control. There are also reported cases of neglect and theft, in which an older person’s property is sold or savings emptied.

There are also reported theft, in which an older person’s property is sold or savings emptied. Picture: iStock

“In more cases, it is a male adult child and there are often other factors, such as mental illness … the son might be homeless, or have some substance abuse or addiction issues,” the practitioner said.

“We see really very serious physical abuse from time to time ... head injuries, attempted strangulation and very serious assaults.

“The parent is put in a really difficult situation, because they obviously want to support their child but they want the abuse to stop.

“There’s a really big element of shame; we do see in a lot of situations, people will deny that there’s something happening, even though we can see it is.”

She said the unit was increasingly receiving reports from police following “domestic disburbances”.

SA Seniors and Ageing Well Minister Nat Cook says the abuse of elderly parents is “horrific”. Picture: Matt Loxton

SA Seniors and Ageing Well Minister Nat Cook described the abuse of parents at the hands of their children as “horrific”.

“Withholding the liberty of someone who you should love is pretty shocking,” she said.

“Physically mistreating people who are vulnerable and unable to defend themselves is horrific … there is also an underbelly of financial abuse that is really worrying as well as emotional abuse.”

# If you suspect you or someone you know is being abused or mistreated call 1800 372 310 or email [e-mail]

Originally published as Data shows shocking rate of elder abuse in South Australia and those who are perpetrating it