Elder abuse

The New Zealand government promotes awareness of elder abuse.

On June 15 every year, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is promoted by the Ministry of Social Development, the Retirement Commission (an independent Crown agency) and nongovernmental organisations like Age Concern.

NZ Pension Abuse members agree with the former Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson that the day is “an opportunity to expose what is often a hidden problem: the totally unacceptable abuse of older people”.

In its Statement of Intent 2008 - 2011, the Ministry affirms that it intends to “enable older people to live full and secure lives” and to have “older people have access to their full entitlements”:

“What we are seeking to achieve (is to have) older people live free from abuse.  We will improve protection for older people, fund services to reduce the incidence and impact of abuse (and) contract providers to deliver Elder Abuse Prevention Services.”

Elder abuse is a single or repeated act (or lack of appropriate action) occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.  Abuse includes intentional or unintentional neglect, physical bullying, stand-over tactics, psychological intimidation, sexual assault, emotional manipulation or substandard caregiving.

Much abuse relates to money, the abused finding themselves victims of extortion or fraud.

Financial abuse is currently considered the fastest growing type of abuse of older people.  It involves the illegal or improper exploitation and/or use of funds or other resources of older people.  A frequent assumption is that abusers are most likely to be members of the older person’s family/whanau, most commonly sons or daughters; other abusers may include friends, neighbours, and carers in paid and unpaid roles, at home or in residential care settings.

Not so widely appreciated, however, is that such abuse often begins on the day a person turns 65.

For thousands of New Zealanders, elder abuse begins at WINZ.

When retirees apply for their New Zealand Superannuation entitlement, Work and Income New Zealand, administered by the Ministry of Social Development, requires that they state whether they are receiving or are eligible to receive an overseas pension.  If they are eligible but are not yet receiving such a pension, WINZ demands that they apply for it.  No application, no Super.

It is no small irony that staff at WINZ Service Centres are trained to recognise and deal with financial abuse of the elderly.  Alarming stories abound of people in their late sixties, seventies and eighties being subject to distress and bullying tactics from WINZ itself.

The government fits the abuser stereotype.

Financial abuse often occurs through stripping or transferring of assets.  Age Concern describes the play of motives leading to such abuse:

“Financial abuse can happen when a person thinks they have a right to an older person’s money or belongings; wants or needs money because of debt, expectation, or greed; and has the opportunity to access the older person’s finances or property.  The abuser may think that the older person has more than they need and may feel that they are entitled to the older person’s assets.  Ageism is a common underlying factor in elder abuse.”

With respect to the treatment of overseas pensions, it would appear that the New Zealand government is susceptible to every one of these motives.

The Ministry exhorting New Zealanders to expose the financial abuse of older people has the means and takes the opportunity to appropriate over 200 million dollars from 10 per cent of elderly New Zealanders every year.  Overseas pensions represent a convenient way to reduce the total superannuation expenditure.  The government has become so accustomed to budgeting for the reduction that the Ministry has often shamelessly answered objectors:

“The cost involved in administrative change would be too high.”

For 50,000 superannuitants, WINZ is the face of elder abuse in New Zealand today.

The New Zealand government subjects its residents to the most financially-debilitating clawback provision of any pension legislation in western society.  Such efficient rapaciousness makes most elder abuse look positively beneficent.

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