How to talk to clients about Elder Abuse

Talking about any form of abuse can be difficult. It can be even harder when the victim of abuse is an older person and the abuse was at the hands of their child.

Lawyers, accountants and financial advisers are in a position to be able to identify situations where elder abuse may exist and help their clients who are experiencing abuse. To be able to do that effectively, they first need to be aware of what elder abuse is, what are the dynamics that may be involved, what are the signs to look for that warrant further investigation and then, perhaps the most difficult part, what to say.

Having conversations about elder abuse is difficult. You need to be sensitive to the emotions and needs of the older person. Even speaking of their experiences can lead them to be re-traumatised. You also need to be cautious that in your need to protect the older person, that you yourself do not impede on their autonomy and perpetrate abuse yourself.

• What is elder abuse and the types of elder abuse
• A brief look at the stats
• Who is the victim?
• Why don’t people report elder abuse?
• What are the red flags to look for?
• How to have difficult conversations with a client who may have experience or may be experiencing elder abuse
• What else can you do?

This presentation will provide a high level overview of elder abuse and having difficult discussions with clients with an aim to providing practical advice and guidance to attendees. This will involve looking at several case studies to demonstrate the difficulties that can be found in providing legal advice to a person who has experienced elder abuse.

Webinar Learning Outcomes:

Attendees will have improved;

• knowledge of what elder abuse is and the dynamics that are often present in situations of elder abuse;
• ability to identify red flags that indicate that a person may have experienced elder abuse or is currently being abused;
• skills to be able to speak with the older person about what they have experienced, what options there are available to them and to empower the older person to accept help;
• knowledge of other resources and services available to help the older person.

Suited to:

Anyone who works with older persons, including lawyers, accountants, financial advisers, social workers, and people working in the field of legal and financial services.

You will also be provided with: 

• PowerPoint Slide Deck
• Searchable Transcript
• Any Supporting Documentation
• Webinar Recording to view multiple times for up to 6 months
• Q&A Session & follow up contact details
• CPD Quiz & Certificate