Prevention of abuse of older people
To prevent abuse of older people (also known as elder abuse), we need to understand it. ‘Prevention of abuse of older people’ is MSD’s three-year work programme that focuses on building the foundations needed to better understand, prevent, and respond to the abuse of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Prevention of abuse of older people work programme focuses primarily on research to better understand elder abuse.
If you are looking for information or support about abuse of older people, please visit: Elder abuse response service – Office for Seniors website
Budget 2022 funding for work programme
The Prevention of abuse of older people work programme received funding under Budget ’22 for three years from 2022 to 2025.
The work programme aligns with Te Aorerekura: The National Strategy to Eliminate Family Violence and Sexual Violence.
Abuse of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand
The World Health Organization defines abuse of older people as: 'a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship in which there is expectation of trust, that causes harm or distress to an older person.'
We know abuse of older people is an issue in Aotearoa, and that it harms older people, families and whānau, and communities in Aotearoa.
However, we also know that most abuse of older people happening in Aotearoa is hidden. Many people experiencing abuse never receive any support or connect to services that can help them, such as the Elder Abuse Response Service. Many may not be aware that there are services that could help them. Most of the abuse experienced by older people is not reported.
Abuse of older people can take many forms, often several at once. The five most common forms are psychological, financial or economic, sexual, and physical abuse, and neglect. However, abuse of older people is complex, and using these five forms to describe the dynamics of abuse of older people does not provide a full picture of its complexity.
This work programme will improve our understanding of abuse of older people and how to prevent it
Currently, we don’t know much about the abuse of older people happening in Aotearoa. We don’t have a clear picture of how much it is happening, who is abusing older people, how it affects different groups of older people,[FPC1] or what the drivers and causes are for the abuse.
The Prevention of abuse of older people work programme focuses on investing in research to build a foundational and robust evidence base around the prevention of abuse of older people. As the evidence base grows, it will inform future policy decisions for older people, and targeted investment into initiatives.
The work programme has four focus areas:
- Reviewing what is known about abuse of older people and what is already happening to prevent it
- Understanding the abuse of older people happening in Aotearoa including prevalence, impacts, and drivers
- Investing in opportunities to grow the prevention system around abuse of older people
- Testing what works (and doesn't work) in initiatives aiming to prevent abuse of older people.
Work underway to better understand abuse of older people in Aotearoa
We initially focused on reviewing the existing information and initiatives to prevent the abuse of older people. Key projects included:
- looking at what data sources may hold insights about the prevalence and characteristics of abuse of older people in Aotearoa
- identifying the screening and assessment tools for abuse of older people in use in Aotearoa and internationally
- gathering insights from initiatives funded by the Office for Seniors’ Elder Abuse Prevention Fund
The current phase of the work programme focuses on delivering two significant research projects:
- A national prevalence study of the abuse of older people. The study will include a large survey of older people, research in the Integrated Data Infrastructure, and qualitative research with older people who have experienced abuse of older people.
- Qualitative research to better understand different cultural perspectives on the abuse of older people.
The findings from these projects will be significant for informing the direction of future investments and actions related to abuse of older people.
This work programme will stay connected with existing work to address abuse of older people
The Prevention of abuse of older people work programme supports the work already happening around Aotearoa to respond to abuse of older people, and more broadly to support older people.
This includes services funded by MSD, including the Elder Abuse Response Services, a network of service providers who respond to abuse and neglect experienced by older people, and the helpline you can call to be connected with these services.
It also includes the initiatives funded through the Elder Abuse Prevention Fund, and the work of the many community organisations, and other agencies working to support older people to live valued, connected and fulfilling lives.
Connect with MSD about the work programme
If you would like to connect with MSD about the Prevention of abuse of older people work programme, you can email us at: Prevention_of_AOP@msd.govt.nz
If you or someone you know needs support, help is available
If you have concerns about how you or someone you know are being treated, or you feel frightened or at risk, help is available.
The Elder Abuse response services (EARS) helpline is free, and available 24 hours a day:
- Freephone: 0800 32 668 65
- Text: 5032
- Email: support@elderabuse.nz
If you are in immediate danger, call 111 and ask for the Police.
