The Cairns Community Legal Centre (CCLC) is a not-for-profit providing free legal and social support services to those experiencing disadvantage in the northernmost part of the state.
Its Seniors Legal and Social Support Service (SLASSS) team offers dedicated assistance to seniors affected by, or at risk of, elder abuse or financial exploitation.
Elder abuse is any act within a relationship of trust resulting in harm to an older person, while financial exploitation can include a range of actions, such as the illegal or improper use of someone’s property or finances, or humbugging, where family members take advantage of an Elder by eating their food, pressuring them for money, and using their house and car without giving any care or support in return.