“Older Together” – A Community Conversation

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Come along and join in a community conversation about ageing in your community.

Seniors across Western Australia are at risk of elder abuse and Esperance seniors are no exception.

However, there are ways seniors can protect themselves from elder abuse and Advocare is inviting
the Esperance community to an information session on Thursday 13 February 2020 to find out how.

Raising awareness of the older people in Esperance and the impacts of social isolation will be part of
a community conversation with the aim to promote local discussion about the role of older people in
the community and to identify and map local support networks for older people.

Advocare is an independent, community-based, not-for-profit organisation that supports and
protects the rights of older people in Western Australia through advocacy, information and
education. The organisation operates the Elder Abuse Helpline where older West Australians can get
information and support about elder abuse.

Advocare’s CEO Diedre Timms said statistics from helpline calls between 1 July 2019 and 31
December 2019 showed calls were increasing.

“The trend over the past few years has been a steady increase in callers seeking help but, during
2019, the calls from people who believe they are victims of elder abuse have increased more
rapidly,” Ms Timms said. “Among the different forms of elder abuse, financial abuse is the most
common with adult children identified as the main perpetrators.

“However, it is never too late to look at how we can protect ourselves as we age,” Ms Timms said.
“The session will be conducted by an advocate from Advocare who will provide information and
resources to support older people to protect themselves and their assets.

“We hope that people who attend the session will leave more aware of the risk factors for elder
abuse, with a greater understanding of the rights of older people and what actions we can all take to
support older people,” she said.

The Esperance community session is part of a tour series in which Advocare, with funding from the
State Government’s Department of Communities, will visit almost all the major regional towns in WA
in the first half of 2020.

Older people are encouraged to attend with family members, carers and friends and the sessions are
open to people of all ages and are free of charge. Free resource materials will also be available to
take home.

The Esperance session will start with morning tea at 9.30am with the information session from
10am to 12 noon on Thursday 13 February 2020 at Esperance Deep Sea Angling Club, 99 Daw
Drive, Bandy Creek.

For more information phone Advocare on 1800 655 566 or email
rights@advocare.org.au