Victoria Police to raise elder abuse awareness in residential care

Victoria Police will begin visiting aged care homes across the state in an industry-first initiative aimed at increasing staff awareness of the signs of elder abuse and how to report it.

Key points

• Specialist police from Victoria Police’s Priority and Safer Communities Division, Family Violence Command and regional operations team will visit aged care homes 
• The visits include presentations with police and representatives from organisations such as Elder Rights Advocacy to educate workers and the broader community on the forms of abuse
• Victoria Police, in collaboration with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, is also providing advice on how to seek help through relevant reporting channels if workers witness or suspect abuse is occurring 

The most recent Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) data shared by the Commission revealed that 89% of all reportable incident notifications in residential care between April and June 2024 focused on three key areas: unreasonable use of force, neglect and psychological or emotional abuse.

Data sourced by the ABC also found that New South Wales Police attended roughly 12 incidents per day in aged care home settings across the state. 

Victoria Police said its officers continue to respond to increasing rates of abuse. Family Violence Command Assistant Commissioner Lauren Callaway states that the true scope of the problem remains hidden, however. 

“Police see first-hand the harm caused by abuse perpetrated against older people,” she said.

“While the crime is on the rise, we know it still remains underreported – so these visits are important to encourage workers to make a report to police if they witness or suspect an older person is being abused.

“The more we know, the more we can help put an end to the abuse of older people, hold perpetrators to account and keep victims safe.”

Victoria Police also believes the visits to aged care facilities are crucial in raising awareness about the problem and encouraging aged care workers to speak up and make a report so any suspected behaviour can be investigated.

Information regarding victim support services, counselling and legal or financial support will be provided.

“Any form of abuse against an older person is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” Priority and Safer Communities Division Commander Jo Stafford said.

“This partnership with the aged care sector to hold these visits is a crucial new way to ensure workers recognise the signs of abuse and have the confidence to speak up about any concerns.

“We are proud to be the first police jurisdiction to partner with the aged care sector and will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety of victims.”

The Victoria Police initiative is another example of first responders diversifying their engagement with aged care staff and providers. 

South Australia Police has partnered with the state’s Mental Health Commission to better de-escalate situations involving older people living with dementia. The goal is to reduce the likelihood of hospital admissions for people within the community.

Speaking at the International Dementia Conference earlier in the year, Assistant Commissioner (Metropolitan Operations Service) Scott Duval said police education is an important step in enhancing how they respond to potentially serious incidents.

“Increasing the education and awareness of our police is really important. The type of response we’re looking at is nuanced. It’s a world of opportunity for the evolution of how we respond,” he said.