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.
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 an expectation of trust, that causes harm or distress to an older person.'
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.
We know abuse of older people is an issue in Aotearoa, and that it harms older people, families, 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.
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, the drivers and causes of the harm, who is harming older people, and how it affects different groups of older people.
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 be able to inform future investments and policy decisions across government about services, initiatives and programmes that aim to prevent and/or respond to AOP.
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 we have about AOP in Aotearoa, and current initiatives aiming to prevent AOP. Key projects included:
- Looking at what data sources may hold insights about the prevalence and characteristics of abuse of older people in Aotearoa.
- Reviewing 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.
Research reports from these three projects are now available – see the ‘Publications’ section below.
The current phase of the work programme focuses primarily 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.
Publications and resources
Research report: Abuse of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand: An examination of potential data sources
MSD commissioned this research to find out what data is being collected about AOP; if this data could be used to estimate the prevalence of AOP in New Zealand; and, whether it may be able to provide insights into the scale and/or characteristics of AOP.
The research focused primarily on data sources that can be quantitatively analysed. These included large surveys, administrative data sources, data held by Ministry of Social Development (MSD) funded services and data sources held by other large organisations.
The researchers evaluated the data sources by reviewing publicly available information, interviewing data experts, and conducting a short survey of organisations that may hold other data sources for AOP.
The research was conducted by Natalia Boven, Komathi Kolandai, Lisa Underwood, Arezoo Malihi, and Barry Milne, from COMPASS Research Centre, University of Auckland.
Download the report at this link: Abuse of older people in Aotearoa New Zealand - An examination of potential data sources
Research report: Review of screening and assessment tools for abuse of older people
MSD commissioned this research in order to understand more about the current state of screening and assessment of AOP in New Zealand. The findings from this research are intended to inform improvements across the system.
The research had two components:
- A systematic literature review to identify screening and assessment tools for AOP in New Zealand and internationally.
- Interviews with a cross-section of practitioners and clinicians who are in a position to detect AOP.
The research was conducted by Kathy Peri and Karen Hayman from the School of Nursing, University of Auckland.
Download the report at this link: Review of screening and assessment tools for abuse of older people
Research report: Gathering insights from the Elder Abuse Prevention fund
In 2022, the Office for Seniors provided eleven one-off grants of up to $25,000 through the Elder Abuse Prevention Fund (EAPF). The funding was provided to initiatives aiming to prevent AOP.
MSD funded a learning and insights review of the initiatives funded by the EAPF. There were two focus areas for the review:
- Gathering practice-based insights from the initiatives – including what worked well, challenges the initiatives faced, how initiatives developed and adapted over time, and the scalability of the initiatives.
- Contributing to the broader knowledge base around AOP in New Zealand.
The research was conducted by Amanda Hunter, Rachael Butler, Kellie Spee and Adrian Field of Dovetail Consulting Ltd.
Download the report at this link: Elder Abuse Prevention Fund Report
To learn more about the Elder Abuse Prevention Fund, visit this website: Office for Seniors’ Elder Abuse Prevention Fund.
Abuse of older people research symposium
On 3 September 2024, the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse and the Ministry of Social Development co-hosted a one-day symposium to bring together specialists, researchers and policymakers working to address the abuse of older people.
The symposium featured speaker panels and workshop discussions that explored the critical gaps in our understanding of and response to abuse of older people in Aotearoa. The speaker panels and workshops addressed four themes:
- Understanding and measuring abuse of older people
- Inequities and intersectional identities
- Reflections from practice on barriers and challenges
- Aspirations for wellbeing and hauora.
Videos and slides from the presentations are available at this link: Abuse of older people research symposium – Exploring current state of knowledge and critical gaps | New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse
This work programme connects 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.
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.
