❓ Ms Freeman asks about the government's support for community organisations combating elder abuse during COVID-19 isolation. The Minister outlines funding for Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre and COTA WA to address elder abuse and support vulnerable seniors.
AnsweredQoN 448Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ELDER ABUSE
448. Ms
J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Seniors and Ageing:
I
refer to the potential increase in risk that older Western Australians have
faced during COVID-19 due to some of the requirements of isolation and social
distancing. Can the minister update the house on how the McGowan Labor
government is supporting the important work of community organisations to
combat elder abuse in the community?
448. Ms
J.M. FREEMAN to the Minister for Seniors and Ageing:
I
refer to the potential increase in risk that older Western Australians have
faced during COVID-19 due to some of the requirements of isolation and social
distancing. Can the minister update the house on how the McGowan Labor
government is supporting the important work of community organisations to
combat elder abuse in the community?
AnswerView source ↗
I
thank the member for Mirrabooka for the question and I certainly acknowledge
the work that she does. This is the second question this week on this issue. As
I said earlier this week, Monday was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Sometimes
we forget about elderly people in our community, as they go back to enjoying
the lifestyle they should have towards the end of their time on this Earth.
Some people in our community are just so nasty to elderly people, and in many
cases it is their family members. We recognise that fact. The fact is that
seven per cent of our elders suffer elder
abuse—seven per cent! That is a huge amount. It is a disgraceful
amount, to say the least. It is a complex social, health and human
rights issue, as elder abuse violates the rights of people in our community. It
is carried out by Western Australians of all backgrounds. Unfortunately, as I have
said, many of those people are family members who take advantage of older
people. I do not care whether it is for $10 or $10 000—it is cheating
older people who are vulnerable.
I am pleased to announce that the
McGowan government will provide $130 000 in funding to the Northern Suburbs Community
Legal Centre to deliver the elder abuse peer education scheme. The scheme will
connect specially trained older volunteers with older members of the community
and provide connection, information and support. I think most members in this
house would understand that there are always scams aimed at older people in our
community. I am sure that everyone gets a phone call on the odd occasion from
someone who is not sure what has happened or about an email that has stitched
someone up to pay money. That is elder abuse at its worst, because it takes the
opportunity to abuse older people in our community who sometimes do not have
the skills to participate in things such as emails.
To further show the McGowan
government's commitment to our older citizens, I am pleased to announce
that the Council on the Ageing Western Australia will be provided with $240 000
in funding to become the peak body for vulnerable seniors. As the peak body,
COTA will develop and raise awareness of measures that can protect seniors, particularly
for groups such as Aboriginal people with disability and people from culturally
and linguistically diverse backgrounds. These measures are more vital now than
ever, given the requirements for isolation during physical distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some seniors have been
left to their own devices, with no-one to call on, and family and
friends have not been calling around, so now COTA will fill that spot. I am
pleased about that. Some people will say that they have heard it before; however,
this is about a group of people who have done their bit for Western Australia
and it is great to support them.
thank the member for Mirrabooka for the question and I certainly acknowledge
the work that she does. This is the second question this week on this issue. As
I said earlier this week, Monday was World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Sometimes
we forget about elderly people in our community, as they go back to enjoying
the lifestyle they should have towards the end of their time on this Earth.
Some people in our community are just so nasty to elderly people, and in many
cases it is their family members. We recognise that fact. The fact is that
seven per cent of our elders suffer elder
abuse—seven per cent! That is a huge amount. It is a disgraceful
amount, to say the least. It is a complex social, health and human
rights issue, as elder abuse violates the rights of people in our community. It
is carried out by Western Australians of all backgrounds. Unfortunately, as I have
said, many of those people are family members who take advantage of older
people. I do not care whether it is for $10 or $10 000—it is cheating
older people who are vulnerable.
I am pleased to announce that the
McGowan government will provide $130 000 in funding to the Northern Suburbs Community
Legal Centre to deliver the elder abuse peer education scheme. The scheme will
connect specially trained older volunteers with older members of the community
and provide connection, information and support. I think most members in this
house would understand that there are always scams aimed at older people in our
community. I am sure that everyone gets a phone call on the odd occasion from
someone who is not sure what has happened or about an email that has stitched
someone up to pay money. That is elder abuse at its worst, because it takes the
opportunity to abuse older people in our community who sometimes do not have
the skills to participate in things such as emails.
To further show the McGowan
government's commitment to our older citizens, I am pleased to announce
that the Council on the Ageing Western Australia will be provided with $240 000
in funding to become the peak body for vulnerable seniors. As the peak body,
COTA will develop and raise awareness of measures that can protect seniors, particularly
for groups such as Aboriginal people with disability and people from culturally
and linguistically diverse backgrounds. These measures are more vital now than
ever, given the requirements for isolation during physical distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some seniors have been
left to their own devices, with no-one to call on, and family and
friends have not been calling around, so now COTA will fill that spot. I am
pleased about that. Some people will say that they have heard it before; however,
this is about a group of people who have done their bit for Western Australia
and it is great to support them.
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