Seniors Rights Victoria Advocacy

Seniors Rights Victoria provides short-term assistance to clients who are particularly vulnerable, primarily where no relevant local service is available. The purposeis to provide older people who are experiencing or at risk of elder abuse with the support they need to enhance their safety, security and wellbeing. This may include information, referral, liaison and short-term counseling. Where possible, this is a face-to-face service.

Seniors Rights Victoria is developing specialist knowledge in elder abuse and is using this to undertake a range of activities that assist in advocating for older people and their needs. These include:

• Collecting data and identifying trends relating to the nature and extent of abuse
• Forming strategic relationships with tertiary institutions
• Developing links with interstate and overseas abuse prevention organisations and research institutions
• Distributing relevant information to stakeholders

Local Area Networks
Seniors Rights Victoria is establishing partnerships and working with local services and networks to ensure effective and timely responses to issues of abuse at a local level. Liaising with existing community networks is important in identifying existing expertise and facilitating the sharing of information and resources, as well as refining referral pathways.