The McGowan Government has provided funding certainty to Western Australia's critical on-the-ground elder abuse prevention services, launching a five-year funding agreement to ensure their work on the frontline of elder abuse prevention continues.
Service providers Advocare and the Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre provide free confidential advice to seniors who suspect they may be experiencing elder abuse.
The services are in many cases the first, and sometimes only, port of call for vulnerable seniors seeking information about elder abuse issues.
Advocare will receive a $150,000 per year funding guarantee to enable it to continue to provide free, confidential advice to vulnerable seniors - some of whom do not have friends or family to confide in with suspected cases of abuse.
The Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre will receive $277,614 per year in a five-year agreement, ensuring the centre can continue providing advice on legal recourse for elder abuse victims, particularly those who have suffered financial abuse.
As stated by Seniors and Ageing Minister Mick Murray:
"As our population ages, elder abuse is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue that has horrible effects on the emotional, physical and financial health of its victims.
"The Northern Suburbs Community Legal Centre provides vital legal support to elder abuse victims - and a five-year service agreement will give them the security needed to continue supporting victims.
"Guaranteeing increased funding to Advocare is essential, following the Federal Government's recent announcement of a national helpline diverting more calls to Advocare's existing helpline without providing additional funding.
"Funding certainty will ensure vulnerable seniors are given the support they need when they reach out for help."
