infonews.co.nz
INDEX
LEGAL

Elder Abuse Awareness: Financial Offences against the Older Population

Thursday 23 June 2016, 11:54AM

By Rainey Collins Lawyers

582 views

WELLINGTON

Canterbury has seen a noticeable increase in the assault, neglect and abuse of elderly relatives by their family members. Age Concern Canterbury, an organisation which supports older people, reported 187 cases of elder abuse in 2015. That is 53% more than the reported 2014 cases. This 2016, elder abuse cases continue to be increasingly reported.

Family members commit three-fourths of these elder abuse cases, which include psychological, financial or material, physical and sexual, and neglect and institutional abuse.

Nationwide, there has been a “real spike” in financial abuse by family members. These range from low level to serious abuse of the elderly. Low level abuse includes family members taking advantage of their elderly relatives’ EFTPOS cards while serious abuse cases include entire savings being wiped out. For this reason, the need for debt collection in Wellington and elsewhere in New Zealand continue to increase.

Elderly people are being charged with unpaid bills under their name and accounts — bills that their families are actually responsible for. Law firms like Rainey Collins Lawyers can help out in matters related to such financial abuse cases. Their services include bad debt recovery, and the drafting and registering of securities.

According to Aviva chief executive Nicola Woodward: "When one family member is abused by another, often those experiencing abuse – and sometimes older people in particular – are reluctant to ask for help; in fact, they may not even recognise that what they're experiencing is family violence." Law firms and organisations alike do their part in giving these abused people a voice of defence.

For any need of Wellington lawyers, get in touch with Rainey Collins Lawyers through their phone number (04 473 6850) or through this email: lawyers@raineycollins.co.nz. Aside from elder abuse cases and debt recovery, they also cater to individual clients, small businesses and even major national organisations throughout the country. The law firm assists their New Zealand clients in legal matters concerning their personal and business lives