Anne is 82 and has lived in the same old Queenslander in regional Queensland for most of her life.
It is a long way from town. The house is quiet now. Too quiet sometimes.
Her son Greg lives with her. He works hard and travels a lot. He is tired, stretched and doing the best he can.
But when Greg is away, Anne is often on her own.
Some days there is not much food in the fridge. Some days Anne cannot remember if she has already eaten. Most of the time, she sits at the kitchen table and listens for the sound of tyres on the gravel.
A nurse noticed Anne looked thinner and asked if she was managing.
Anne said she was fine.
But things are not always fine.
Anne’s story shows how neglect can be quiet, complicated and easy to miss. It can happen when an older person is isolated, when a carer is under pressure, and when support takes too long to arrive.
Anne's video
Some viewers may find these stories emotional or confronting. They are inspired by real lived experiences shared with Council on the Ageing Queensland. To protect the privacy and confidentiality of those involved, the people featured are digital representations rather than real individuals. Every story has been carefully de-identified while keeping the person’s experience at the heart of the story.
About Anne's story
Anne’s story explores neglect, isolation and carer stress in regional Queensland.
Abuse and mistreatment of older people is not always intentional or obvious. Sometimes it happens when people are left without the support they need, and the signs are hidden in everyday things: an empty fridge, a quiet house, missed meals, weight loss, or someone saying they are fine when they are not.
In Anne’s story, the signs are subtle. They include:
spending long periods alone.
not having enough food at home.
forgetting whether she has eaten.
visible weight loss.
relying heavily on one person for care.
a carer who may be exhausted or overwhelmed.
delayed access to practical support.
being reluctant to ask for help.
Why this matters
Neglect can be one of the harder forms of mistreatment to recognise because it may not look like harm at first.
It may look like someone “managing”.
It may look like family doing their best.
It may look like waiting.
But when an older person’s basic needs are not being met, it can affect their health, safety, dignity and wellbeing.
Anne’s story reminds us to look gently, listen carefully and ask whether someone has the support they need.
Find information and support
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger please call 000 for emergency services. For text-based emergency access (for hearing or speech impairment), call 106.
If these stories have raised concerns for you or someone you know, support is available. You don’t have to work it out alone.
Looking for legal support in your area?
Queensland has a network of community legal centres and legal support services that can provide advice on matters such as elder abuse, financial abuse, powers of attorney, guardianship and other legal issues.
Every story matters
Anne’s story is one of six stories in A Time to Listen, a Council on the Ageing Queensland storytelling project sharing experiences inspired by the lived experiences of older Queenslanders.
Sometimes, the people around us are the first to notice when something isn’t right.
Taking the time to check in, ask how someone is doing and connect them with support can make a meaningful difference.
Acknowledgements
We extend our heartfelt thanks to the older Queenslanders who generously shared their stories and experiences with us. Your courage, honesty and willingness to speak about difficult experiences have made this project possible and will help raise awareness of the abuse and mistreatment of older people across Queensland.
To protect privacy, the stories have been carefully de-identified and recreated using AI technology while remaining true to the experiences shared.
This series was produced by Red Hat Films in partnership with Council on the Ageing (COTA) Queensland.