Isolation, stigma and financial pressures fuels elder abuse in regional Australia

Financial abuse has emerged as the most commonly reported form of elder abuse in regional, rural and remote Australia, with adult children identified as the primary perpetrators, according to research led by Monash University.

The national study, funded by the Attorney-General’s Department, found economic pressures including the cost-of-living crisis, the lingering impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and natural disasters may be contributing to growing levels of financial exploitation among older Australians living outside major cities.

Researchers found abuse commonly involved restricting access to money, pressuring older people to hand over assets or alter wills, misusing powers of attorney and relying on older family members for housing or financial support.

Associate Professor Bridget Harris, deputy head of school (research) and lead researcher with the Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Hub, said older people living outside metropolitan Australia also often face additional barriers when seeking support.

“Older adults in these communities face geographic isolation, making it difficult to reach support networks or health services, a problem often compounded by sparse, expensive or non-existent transport options,” Professor Harris said.

“Socially, more traditional views around gender roles can result in abuse being minimised as a ‘private family matter,’ while the lack of privacy in small towns creates a profound fear of gossip and stigma that silences those needing help.”

The report marks the first national examination of elder abuse in regional, rural and remote communities and found financial, emotional and psychological abuse were the most frequently reported forms of harm.

Family members were overwhelmingly identified as perpetrators, most commonly adult children, followed by grandchildren and intimate partners. Beyond financial gain, researchers found motivations often included coercive control, longstanding family conflict and dependence on older adults for financial assistance or accommodation.

The study identified several forms of abuse that were particularly prominent in non-urban communities. These included “inheritance impatience”, where older people are pressured to transfer assets before death, particularly in farming families, and “humbugging”, involving coercive demands for money in some First Nations communities.

Researchers found many older people delayed or avoided seeking help because of shame, fear of damaging family relationships and concerns about community stigma. In some cases, older people travelled outside their local area to access support anonymously.

Workforce shortages, limited specialist services, transport barriers and reliance on fly-in, fly-out service models were also identified as major obstacles to accessing assistance.

The report found many older women experiencing abuse had histories of domestic and family violence spanning decades, often beginning with intimate partner violence before later involving adult children or grandchildren. Researchers warned this normalisation of violence can make abuse more difficult to identify and address.

Co-author and Monash Gender and Family Violence Prevention Hub director Dr Naomi Pfitzner said responses needed to better reflect the realities of regional communities.

“To truly address this issue, we need integrated models that support the whole family so older Australians feel safe, are respected and are empowered to maintain family relationships, including with the person using violence, where appropriate,” she said.

“By challenging ageism at a systemic level and ensuring victim-survivors are supported through local networks, we can ensure older Australians feel safe and valued in their communities.”

The report recommends embedding elder abuse specialists and legal services within healthcare settings, expanding community-based education programs and strengthening collaboration between support services. Researchers also identified technology as a potential tool to improve access to information, professional advice and support in geographically isolated communities.