Aged Care and Senior Victorians Minister Gavin Jennings has detailed a $6 million package of initiatives designed to provide for the safety, security and dignity of older people living at home or in aged care centres.

Mr Jennings announced a dedicated legal and advocacy service to support older Victorians and a police check on all direct-care staff in public sector nursing homes as part of a strategy to combat abuse of older people.

He said a partnership would be formed with the existing network of 69 Victorian community legal centres and legal aid offices to create a pool of specialist lawyers trained in the legal issues facing older people.

'The abuse of vulnerable older people is unacceptable, whether it is physical, emotional or financial.

'Our approach is to empower older people and enable them to care for themselves and plan for the future.

'This support also extends to protection under the Guardianship and Administration Act for older people who do not have the capacity to make decisions for themselves.'

Mr Jennings said the Elder Abuse Prevention Project had reviewed current practices and identified blind spots in service provision.

He said the Government would boost protection for older people by providing:

•          $1.25 million to establish a legal advocacy service in the Department of Justice. As well as offering a service to older people and their families, staff will train lawyers in the 31 generalist community legal centres, 24 specialist and 14 legal aid offices on the issues facing older Victorians;

•          $200,000 to public sector aged care providers to pay for police checks on all 5400 direct-care staff ahead of Commonwealth Government moves to make police checks compulsory in private sector aged care centres;

•          $4.65 million to fund an education and awareness raising program for healthcare professionals, older members of the community and their families on the abuse of older people and to strengthen the service response to instances of abuse;

•          Updating the Department of Human Services guidelines for local health and community service providers to support best-practice policies and procedures to deal effectively with elder abuse including neglect;

•          Supporting tougher reporting procedures for serious offences against older people such as sexual or physical assault. State and Commonwealth Aged Care Ministers have agreed to make it compulsory for residential aged care providers to pass on complaints for investigation.