The challenges of Australia's rapidly ageing population are often talked about in terms of healthcare costs or keeping older people in work.
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But Age Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan says a forgotten challenge is protecting older people from abuse.
"It's an awful thing to have to confront but it's there and we're not doing enough about it," Ms Ryan said.
While statistics on elder abuse in Australia are piecemeal, anecdotally, the Age Discrimination Commissioner is convinced it is a widespread problem.
According to the World Health Organisation, as of October 2015, around one in 10 older people experience abuse every month. This can involve physical, sexual, psychological or financial abuse or neglect in any relationship "where there is an expectation of trust" – such as a family member, carer or friend.
When setting up an elder abuse helpline in 2013, the NSW government said that as many as 50,000 people over the age of 65 in the state had experienced some form of abuse or neglect.
In a speech on Tuesday at an elder abuse forum in Sydney, Ms Ryan will call for a national approach to tackling elder abuse that focuses on human rights.
"It would not appear that existing laws in Australia ... effectively protect all older people against this abuse."
Citing examples of older people being subject to abuse and neglect in their homes, on the street and in nursing homes, Ms Ryan will say that even though state and local governments and the community sector are working to protect against elder abuse, "they do not deal completely with the problem".
"The widespread and complex nature of elder abuse requires a co-ordinated, national response."
Ms Ryan cautioned that while people aged over 85 currently made up about 2 per cent of Australia's population, the group was expected to more than double over the next 40 years.
"How can we be sure that this ever-growing cohort of older people can live securely and with all their rights respected?"
Ms Ryan said a human rights-based approach would empower older people to "speak out and seek help" and should also develop a clear definition of what elder abuse meant.
There should be consideration of new laws to create specific offences for elder abuse, as well as better training of aged care staff and a national campaign to combat negative stereotypes about older people, she said.
Her call comes after the NSW Parliament set up an inquiry into elder abuse last month, looking at the prevalence of abuse, effectiveness of current laws and what more could be done to tackle it.
