Australia: Reports of elder abuse soar

The number ofelderly Queenslanders reporting they are victims of abuse has surged inQueensland – and the perpetrators are usually their adult children.  Queensland’sElder Abuse Helpline received 651 new cases of abuse in the nine monthsto March, a 47 per cent increase on the same time the previous year.  Nearly half the cases related to psychological abuse, 29 per centinvolved financial abuse – where their money is stolen or misused – and14 per cent of the cases involved physical abuse.  Seniors Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr, said thegrowing numbers were due more to increased awareness of the helplinerather than a dramatic jump in the number of elderly people beingabused.

Source/more: Courier Mail,  http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,23854456-3102,00.html