Look after your elders
Over the past week, Cambridge Police have held several people to account. A male was arrested for breach of a protection order and possession of restricted weapons, a second was arrested for breaching his Electronically Monitored bail conditions and another for threatening behaviour and again, breaching court bail conditions. Four additional bail breaches were recorded and will be followed up.
Senior constable Deb Hann inside the police station. Photo: Aaron Radford.
On the roads, a male was arrested for assaulting a police officer after being stopped in relation to his speeding. Our Impairment Prevention Team then caught three more people driving with excess breath alcohol over the weekend. Concerningly, one of those was reported to have tried to avoid the checkpoint by driving the wrong way up the expressway offramp, towards oncoming exiting traffic. All those charges have appeared before the courts on relevant charges.
Last week I had the opportunity to present on elder abuse at the invitation of the Cambridge Baptist Church care team. I appreciated the chance to spread awareness about the different forms and presentations of elder abuse. Although, sadly, often committed by relatives or family members of the victim, such abuse may also be committed in institutions or by external caregivers.
As with more general family harm, elder abuse can take the form of physical, psychological, financial and sexual abuse, as well as neglect and institutional abuse. Our older community members may be especially susceptible to financial abuse. Potential indicators include unusual withdrawals from bank accounts or the frequency with which they are made.
Coerced decisions around money, property or other assets also feature. With an elderly couple, it is not uncommon for one person to fully rely on their partner-spouse for all financial decisions and processes, which leaves them vulnerable if their partner dies or is otherwise unable to continue the responsibility. Ensure both partners understand and have access to all financial matters. If entrusting a family member with bank details for financial management, set clear boundaries for access and regularly change passwords. While we don’t like to think of family members taking financial advantage, it does happen.
If you are experiencing or witnessing elder abuse, the first step is to speak up. Talk to someone you trust outside of the situation – a family member , friend, doctor, nurse or church leader.
You can also phone the national Elder Abuse 24hour free phone line on 0800 32 668 65, text 5032 or email [email protected]. Where an immediate danger exists, call 111 for police.
Look after our elders
