The Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) has released an Issues Paper for inquiry and report into Elder Abuse (found here: https://www.alrc.gov.au/publications/elder-abuse).
The closing date for submissions to the Issues Paper is 18 August 2016.
The inquiry will specifically consider best practice laws and legal frameworks, including the Aged Care framework.
In Aged care, among the issues the ALRC will explore are:
- any evidence of elder abuse committed in aged care;
- what further role aged care assessment programs should have in identifying and responding to people at risk of elder abuse;
- what changes should be made to aged care laws and legal frameworks to improve safeguards against elder abuse arising from decisions made on behalf of a care recipient;
- what concerns arise in relation to the risk of elder abuse with consumer directed care models;
- in what ways the use of restrictive practices in aged care should be regulated to improve safeguards against elder abuse;
- what changes to the requirements for reporting assaults in aged care settings should be made to improve responses to elder abuse;
- what changes to aged care complaints mechanisms and the sanctions regime should be made to improve responses to elder abuse.
Given the topicality and importance of the need to address elder abuse, the Issues Paper is welcome.
The ALRC should provide its report by May 2017.
