Ageism can be defined as a process of stereotyping and discriminating against a person or people, simply because they are older. Ageism is endemic in our society. Older people often feel patronized or ‘invisible’ and can find it much harder to get or maintain a job, access healthcare, services or housing, or enjoy any manner of things our community has to offer because of how their age is judged. In an Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) study, for example, 71 percent of Australian adults over 65 reported that they had been insulted or mistreated on the basis of their age. With Australia’s – and the global – population getting older, ageism is a serious human rights issue for us all.
Elder abuse is one of the worst manifestations of ageism. Elder abuse is defined as any act which causes harm to an older person and is carried out by someone in a position of trust – most often a family member. The abuse may be physical, social, financial, psychological or sexual and can include mistreatment and neglect. While elder abuse is vastly under-reported, the World Health Organisation estimates up to 10 per cent of older people worldwide experience it.