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As the Australian population ages, the number of people requiring care increases.
Unfortunately, this means the number of people who are likely to experience abuse
also increases.
In Australia, it’s currently believed that one in twenty older people may be
experiencing abuse of one kind or another, with the most common types being
psychological abuse, neglect and financial abuse. Significantly, older people with
poor physical and psychological health and those who are isolated socially are more
likely to experience abuse. The Serious Incident Response Scheme (SIRS) was
introduced into residential aged care in 2021 and the following year for in-home
services with the aim of reducing abuse and neglect in Australian Government
subsidised aged care. Older people are particularly vulnerable to abusive situations
for several reasons, including a shrinking social network, reduced access to
information, a loss of economic power, or an increased risk of cognitive impairment –
or, the risk of being perceived as being cognitively impaired. While there is no single
cause of elder abuse, motivations can be complex and involve a range of factors.
Caregiver stress, for example, is often cited as a reason why elder abuse has
occurred. While caring for an older person can be extremely stressful, caregiver
stress is no excuse for elder abuse.
The updated Serious Incident Response Scheme, or SIRS, strengthens the reporting
requirements for providers of all aged care services, including home care and
community care providers. The aim of the SIRS is to:
• Strengthen aged care systems to prevent and reduce the risk of abuse and
neglect
• Build the skills of aged care providers, so they can better respond to serious
incidents
• Enable aged care providers to review incident information to drive
improvements in quality and safety
• Reduce the likelihood of preventable incidents reoccurring, and
• Make sure older people receiving aged care have the support they need after
an incident - regardless of whether they are the victim, the subject of the
allegation or the witness to the incident.
These SIRS requirements apply to a range of people who are employed or engaged
by home service providers who become aware of incidents of abuse that require
reporting. Incidents that require reporting include:
• Unreasonable use of force
• Unlawful or inappropriate sexual contact
• Neglect
• Psychological or emotional abuse
• Unexpected death
• Stealing or financial coercion by a staff member
• Inappropriate use of restrictive practices, and
• Older people missing from care.
Education on elder abuse and SIRS helps staff understand their obligations for each
work context and ultimately supports consumers to be treated with the dignity and
respect they deserve. Contextualised learning is ideal because it provides
information relevant to the learner’s work environment, helps learners develop the
skills and knowledge they need to do their job well, enhances learner engagement
through examples and scenarios they can relate to and helps learners comprehend,
apply and retain knowledge and skills pertinent to their workplace. SIRS guidelines
are updated frequently, so it’s important for staff to stay up to date. Kineo Courses
new Reporting Abuse and Serious Incidents in Home and Community Aged Care
Services course will provide learners with an understanding of:
• The background to, and the definitions and prevalence of, the abuse of older
people in Australia
• Common types of abuse experienced by older people
• Requirements for the reporting of abuse and serious incidents
• Barriers to staff reporting, and
• Actions to take in the event of abuse or serious incidents.
Elder abuse undermines the dignity and autonomy of aged care consumers. Abuse
and living in fear can make it difficult for consumers to make choices about their own
lives, to pursue what they value and to live a life that is meaningful to them.
Consumers should be able to live in an environment where they are free of
exploitation and physical or mental abuse. They should be treated fairly regardless of
their age, gender, racial or ethnic background, disability or other status and be
valued as unique individuals with their own wishes, needs and preferences.
