Issues and Laws for the Aged in Australia

Running head: THE AGED PEOPLE
The Aged People
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1THE AGED PEOPLE
Introduction
As per the Australian Standard, the term elderly or aged is considered to be an age
above 65 years. Australian government strives to support the aged by providing various
concessions and privileges for the aged, and even to people over 60 or even 55 years.
Australian government have provided several legislations for protecting and assisting the
aged from issues like elderly abuse, elder neglect, age discrimination and et cetera (Lacey,
2014). This paper discusses about such issues and the relevant laws that strive to protect the
aged in Australia.
Elder abuse and Elder neglect
Elder abuse refers to the physical, emotional, psychological, social, financial or
sexual neglect or abuse that an elder is put into by another person who is in the position of
such dominance and trust and having the duty of care towards such elder (Kurrle & Naughtin,
2008). It is an extremely complex challenge for the Australian community to get rid of this
issue, although it is not one of the most prominent challenges that the government faces.
Elder abuse is not a crime that is committed by a stranger upon the elder or it does not
involve self neglect; it happens at the hand of a person who is in a position of trust and
confidence to such aged person. The aged people are often made to go through physical,
emotional, psychological, social, financial and sexual abuses from such person of trust. Elder
abuse is fundamentally a human rights issue, just like domestic violence, sexual assault or a
child protection issue, depriving elders from their basic human rights (Kurrle & Naughtin,
2008).
Similarly, elder neglect refers to the neglect to provide food, shelter for medical
services to an aged by a person who bears the duty to provide such care. It also involves the
action of a person who refrain another person from providing care to an elder (Lacey, 2014).

2THE AGED PEOPLE
Elder neglect can lead to intentional or unintentional elder abuse. Even though the
government as well as private authorities have provided several kinds of aged care homes and
facilities, many a times it has been witnessed that the aged have been neglected and abused in
such care facilities by the attendants and nurses (Kurrle & Naughtin, 2008).
The Australian Human Rights Commission holds the view that older people deserves
certain human rights which are even more important to them than others for their poor health
condition and old age. They must be provided with the highest possible standard of physical
and mental health, along with ensuring that they are free from violence, cruelty and degrading
treatment. They should be provided with adequate food, clothing and shelter along with a fair
working condition, which would be free from discrimination (Humanrights.gov.au, 2019).
Older women and homelessness
Older women are often seem to be facing homelessness in Australia, due to the
shortage of affordable housing and the significant gap pertaining to wealth accumulation
between men and women (Darab & Hartman, 2013). Older Women, varying in respect to
income, asset and capacity to work are facing challenges pertaining to homelessness and
other issues relating to sustenance. The increasing high cost of housing along with financial
issues is the significant factors that impacts older women (Morris, 2016). The moment an
older woman fails to work and pay her rent, she becomes homeless. The Age Discrimination
Commissioner, Dr Kay Patterson, however, gives a hope regarding the update of the property
and finance industries along with the services provided by the government department
pertaining to Housing issues in order to reduce the risk of older women being homeless
(Humanrights.gov.au, 2019).
Age discrimination