About Compass

What is Compass?

Compass is a national website created to help older Australians navigate the complex issue of elder abuse and to guide action to end the problem. We make resources and information available both for older Australians and for the people who care for and support them.

As a voice for action, Compass acts against elder abuse by raising nationwide awareness of this growing social issue and simplifying the process of connecting people to services and information that can help.

Who we are

Compass is an Australian Government initiative funded by the Attorney-General’s Department in response to the National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) 2019–2023.

Compass is led by Elder Abuse Action Australia (EAAA), a specialist organisation working to eliminate elder abuse. Through advocacy, policy development, research and capacity building, EAAA works to create a society that respects and values older Australians and is free from elder abuse.

We work in partnership with many support groups and organisations around Australia and with academic researchers, health and legal professionals, and other contributors.

Everyone involved with Compass believes that older people should be able to live lives with opportunities, fair treatment and freedom from fear.

Our mission

In line with the United Nations Principles for Older Persons, we work to protect every older Australian’s right to independence, participation, care, self-fulfilment and dignity. Our mission is to:

1. raise awareness of elder abuse

2. educate the audience about the types of elder abuse and how to recognise the signs of abuse

3. connect people to organisations and services that can help

4. provide valuable tools and resources from organisations and professional bodies to empower people to reduce elder abuse.

Our vision

We aspire to a society that:

• respects and values older people

• affirms the worth and dignity of every person

• is free from elder abuse.

Why we’re here

Elder abuse is a growing, complex and confronting social issue. It affects not only older people, but also their families and friends, service providers and frontline professionals, the broader community – and the perpetrators themselves.

The National Elder Abuse Prevalence Study revealed that

It takes different forms: psychological abuse, financial abuse, physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect. It may involve a combination of these forms, and it can look different every time. Contributing factors can be obvious or subtle, simple or multiple, personal or institutional.

Educating all Australians about the warning signs, prevalence and effects of elder abuse is one key step in tackling this far-reaching problem. Providing access to information and resources that empower people to take action against abuse they are – or someone they know is – experiencing is another step.

In 2019 the Australian Government published its National Plan to Respond to the Abuse of Older Australians (Elder Abuse) 2019–2023. The plan, developed in collaboration with state and territory governments, summarises the priority areas for governments to focus on. Compass was created to help fulfil ‘Priority Area 2: Improving community awareness and access to information’.

EAAA Team

EAAA Board of Directors: 

Sue Leitch – Co-Chair 
Diedre Timms - Co-Chair
Helen Wallace
Vicki Wood
Graeme Tolhurst
Medha Gunawardana
Rebecca Edwards
Tara Simpson
Brian Attard

EAAA Staff:

Bev Lange – Executive Officer
Brigitte Jonas – Events Manager

Compass Team:

Brett Osmond ­– Editor
Jamie Carroll – Content Producer