Four in 10 aged care residents have experienced some form of abuse or neglect, a rate of elder abuse close to the upper range found in overseas studies.
The next most common was emotional abuse, at 22.6 per cent in Australia compared with the combined prevalence rate overseas of 33.4 per cent and below the highest international rate of 79 per cent. This included people who said they were "treated like a child", "shouted at by staff" or forced to wear incontinence pads.
Around 5233 aged care assaults were reported to the federal government in 2018-19, a rate of 101 per week. This included undertaking a Prevalence Study for a Serious Incident Response Scheme and also estimating incidents that are currently exempt from being reported to the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission.