Cassandra's Compass
Elder Abuse — Recognition & Reporting
Understanding, identifying, and reporting elder abuse and unlawful restrictive practices in Australia. Every person has the right to be free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation.
If someone is in immediate danger — call 000
Elder abuse is a serious crime. If you witness abuse, or if a person tells you they are being harmed, you have a legal and moral responsibility to act. You can report anonymously in most states. You do not need proof — a genuine concern is sufficient and is protected by law.
What Is Elder Abuse?
Elder abuse is any act causing harm to an older person, carried out by someone they know and trust — a family member, carer, friend, or professional. It is more common than most people realise. Globally, the World Health Organization estimates that around 1 in 6 people aged 60 and over experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year (WHO, n.d.). In Australia, the 2021 AIFS National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study found that 14.8% of older Australians living in the community — about 1 in 7 — experienced abuse in the previous 12 months (Qu et al., 2021). The following video from the Australian Human Rights Commission provides an accessible overview.
Australian Human Rights Commission. (2021). Elder abuse: What can you do to help? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlU2RzQXkjU
Additional learning: The ACQSC sets out the rights of older people in aged care — including the right to be free from violence, abuse and neglect, and to raise a concern without reprisal — in its Statement of Rights — agedcarequality.gov.au/older-people/your-rights/statement-rights. Elder Abuse Action Australia also publishes free resources and runs free education sessions at eaaa.org.au/publications.
Types of Elder Abuse
Physical Abuse
Hitting, pushing, restraining, or causing physical harm to an older person. Also includes the improper use of physical or chemical restraints to control behaviour without clinical justification.
Emotional & Psychological Abuse
Humiliation, threats, ridicule, isolation, constant criticism, or deliberately causing fear or distress. Psychological abuse can be as damaging — and as unlawful — as physical abuse.
Financial Abuse
Theft, misuse of funds or assets, pressure to change a will or Power of Attorney, unauthorised use of credit cards, bank accounts, or property. The most commonly reported form of elder abuse in Australia.
Sexual Abuse
Any sexual contact or behaviour without informed and freely given consent. A person with dementia may not have legal capacity to consent. This is a criminal offence regardless of relationship.
Neglect
Failure to provide adequate food, water, shelter, medical care, hygiene, or emotional support. Neglect may be intentional or the result of carer stress, inadequate training, or systemic resourcing failures.
Social Abuse
Deliberately isolating someone from friends, family, or the community. Controlling their access to services, visitors, or communication. Preventing them from participating in cultural or religious practices.
Chemical Restraint
Using medications — particularly sedatives and antipsychotics — to sedate, subdue, or control a person without clinical justification and without following restrictive practices authorisation procedures. This is unlawful under the Aged Care Act 2024.
Institutional & Systemic Abuse
Systemic failures within facilities or services — chronic understaffing, inadequate care, disregarding individual rights, poor complaint handling, or a facility culture that normalises substandard treatment.
Warning Signs to Watch For
Elder abuse is often hidden. The person experiencing abuse may be unable or afraid to speak up. Knowing the warning signs — and trusting your instincts when something feels wrong — can save a life. People with dementia are at particularly high risk because they may not be able to report what is happening to them.
- Unexplained injuries, bruising, burns, or fractures
- Sudden changes in behaviour — withdrawal, fear, depression, agitation
- A carer who refuses to leave the person alone with others
- Unpaid bills, missing money, or unexplained financial transactions
- Poor hygiene, significant weight loss, or clear signs of neglect
- Visible fear or distress when a particular person is present or mentioned
- Unexplained changes to legal documents — will, Power of Attorney, property
- A person who seems confused about their own financial situation
- A carer who speaks for the person, dismisses their concerns, or infantilises them
- A person who expresses fear about returning home or about a specific carer
- A resident who is over-sedated, drowsy, or unusually flat without clinical explanation
- A person who is prevented from accessing their mail, phone calls, or visitors
Restrictive Practices — Mandatory Reporting
Restrictive practices are heavily regulated under Australian law. Unauthorised use is a reportable incident under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS). Understanding what constitutes a restrictive practice — and your obligation to report unauthorised use — is a critical professional responsibility for every aged care worker.
Why You Must Speak Up
Elder abuse thrives in silence. Every person who notices something is wrong — and chooses to act — becomes part of the safeguarding system that protects older Australians. You do not need to be certain. You do not need proof. A genuine concern, raised with the right authority, is enough to trigger a safeguarding response.
For family carers: If you suspect your loved one is being mistreated in a care setting, trust your instincts. You know them better than anyone. Changes in mood, unexplained injuries, sudden financial changes, or a gut feeling that something is wrong are all valid reasons to raise a concern with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.
For aged care workers: You have a professional and legal obligation to report suspected abuse. The Aged Care Act 2024 (Cth) — including its whistleblower framework, which commenced 1 November 2025 — and the WHS Act 2011 protect you from retaliation when reporting in good faith. Staying silent makes you complicit. Speaking up is the most important professional decision you can make.
For community members: Elder abuse is not a private family matter. It is a crime. If you notice signs of abuse in your neighbourhood, community group, or social circle, contact the relevant helpline. You can report anonymously. Your intervention may be the only chance an older person has to escape abuse.
Your Rights & Legal Protections
Every older person in Australia has the right to live free from abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This right is enshrined in the Aged Care Act 2024 and its Statement of Rights (Section 23), state and territory criminal law, and international human rights instruments including the UN Principles for Older Persons (1991).
Right to be free from restrictive practices: Under the Aged Care Act 2024, restrictive practices may only be used as a last resort, with clinical justification, documented consent, and a reduction plan. Unauthorised use is a reportable incident under the Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS).
Right to complain without retaliation: The Aged Care Act 2024 and the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 both prohibit retaliation against anyone who raises a concern in good faith. You cannot be dismissed, demoted, or disadvantaged for reporting suspected abuse.
Right to anonymity: You can report elder abuse concerns anonymously to the ACQSC and most state helplines. Your identity will not be disclosed without your consent, except in limited circumstances required by law.
Right to advocacy: Every person receiving aged care has the right to an independent advocate. The Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) provides free, confidential advocacy: 1800 700 600 or opan.org.au.
Dignity is not something we give to people in aged care. It is something we recognise, protect, and never take away.
— Cassandra's Compass
Verified against official sources on 28 September 2026