House of Assembly
Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
53
2
Parliament of South Australia
House of Assembly
published
Estimates Replies
Elder Abuse
Elder Abuse
In reply to Mr KNOLL
House of Assembly
Schubert
Elder Abuse
In reply to Mr KNOLL (Schubert) (27 July 2017). (Estimates Committee B)
The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON
House of Assembly
Ramsay
Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion
Minister for Social Housing
Minister for the Status of Women
Minister for Ageing
Minister for Multicultural Affairs
Minister for Youth
Minister for Volunteers
Elder Abuse
The Hon. Z.L. BETTISON (Ramsay—Minister for Communities and Social Inclusion, Minister for Social Housing, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Minister for Youth, Minister for Volunteers): I have been advised:
1.	Between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017, 45 callers or (18.67%) identified as older people experiencing abuse (out of 241 calls during this period). The highest proportion of callers (43.57%) identify as family members of people experiencing elder abuse.
2.	The number and percentage of callers, who identified as being third parties between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017, are set out in the table below:
| Caller Type & Total calls |
Total |
% |
| Self, Older Person (see qu. 1 above) |
45 |
18.67% |
| Family Member |
105 |
43.57% |
| Friend |
31 |
12.86% |
| Unpaid Carer* |
2 |
0.83% |
| Neighbour/ Acquaintance |
8 |
3.33% |
| Service Provider |
41 |
17.00% |
| Alleged Abuser |
3 |
1.25% |
| Other |
4 |
1.66% |
| Unknown |
2 |
0.83% |
| TOTAL CALLS |
241 |
100% |
*NOTE: 'Carer' was recorded in caller type from June 2017 due to the Stop Elder Abuse campaign focus on carers.
3.	The types of alleged abuse identified by callers, between 1 July 2016 and 30 June 2017, are set out in the table below:
| Types of abuse* |
Total |
% |
| Financial / material |
146 |
31.95% |
| Misuse of Power of Attorney |
21 |
4.60% |
| Psychological / emotional |
167 |
36.54% |
| Physical |
33 |
7.22% |
| Sexual |
4 |
0.88% |
| Social |
24 |
5.25% |
| Neglect |
52 |
11.38% |
| Reportable Assault |
1 |
0.22% |
| Self-neglect |
0 |
0% |
| Scam |
3 |
0.65% |
| Other |
6 |
1.31% |
*NOTE: There may be more than one type of alleged abuse identified per call.