Abuse of the older person: eLearning Program for Health and Aged Care Professionals

Who should complete it?
Health, aged care and allied health professionals play an important role in addressing abuse of older people. As trusted professionals, they are well placed to identify signs of abuse of older people through their established professional relationship with patients and therapeutic clinical assessments. In responding to abuse, health and aged care professionals need to be aware of sensitive contextual nature of abuse and the concomitant complex family dynamics, such as dependency on the perpetrator for care, transport, and housing.

Why?
Abuse of older people is a complex issue which is often caused by someone who is trusted by the older person, such as a family member, friend, professional, or paid caregiver. Sometimes, both the victim and perpetrator do not recognise that what is occurring is abuse. Abuse affects both older men and women and can occur in home or in care. Figures estimated as high as 39.2 % of older people in residential aged care experience elder abuse in the form of neglect, emotional and/or physical abuse (ACQS, 2020).

How was it developed and by whom?
Abuse of the older person: eLearning Program for Health and Aged Care Professionals is an outcome of the Australian Law Reform Commission report recommendations on Elder Abuse (2017). The project involved the formation of a collaborative partnership with the Hon Dr Kay Patterson AO, Age Discrimination Commissioner, and the Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN), and a coalition of Subject Matter Experts and health professionals nationally.

How long will it take to complete?
The free course provides the learner with up to date, at point of care, research, expertise, resources, and referral pathways from nationally acclaimed Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) on abuse of older people. Access to the self-paced eLearning program allows for approximately 6+ hours of CPD by engaging with the three abuse modules.

• Module 1: Understanding abuse of the older person and their rights
• Module 2: Identifying, responding to, and preventing abuse of the older person
• Module 3: Rights of older people, Power of Attorney the law and organisational governance

Learning Objectives
1. Define the various forms of abuse of older people.
2. Identify signs and risk factors for abuse of the older person, recognising that abuse situations are often complex, deeply personal, and individual.
3. Assess abuse of the older person using different support mechanisms and communication styles.
4. Respond appropriately to signs of abuse.
5. Provide support to older people to mitigate risks associated with abuse and refer them to advocacy networks & other support services, where appropriate.
6. Acknowledge the rights of self-determination of all older people, raise awareness of the harmful effects of ageism and ageist attitudes.
7. Understand the diversity of older Australians and provide culturally aware supports and information.
8. Build organisational governance capacity.