Call for Abstracts

The conference Program Committee invite submissions for presentations at Stand Up, Speak Out, the 2026 Australian Elder Abuse Conference.

This national gathering of people who care deeply about creating a safer, more just future for older Australians will be held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, the land of the Yugambeh/Kombumerri peoples, from 27-29 July 2026.

It will be a space where bold conversations are welcomed, living experiences are honoured and collaborative solutions are forged.

18 August 2025                      Call for Abstracts opens

Now 21 October 2025           Call for Abstracts closes

8 December 2025                 Notification of Acceptance sent

31 January 2026                    Speaker registration deadline

6 February 2026                    Program launched

We welcome a wide range of formats including:

• spoken presentations of scholarly papers, practice reviews, policy initiatives, lived experience, creative writing or written journalism with or without slides or other visual aids
• moderated panels of up to three presenters speaking to a single broad topic
• printed posters summarising new research or innovative practice in words and images
• debates on topical issues or differing approaches to service provision
• stories of lived experience
• demonstrations and analyses of early intervention approaches and resources
• visual and performing arts, and
• videos and podcasts (creative, campaigning or journalistic).

Your submission should clearly align with one of the themes or topics outlined below with particular focus on the abuse, neglect and mistreatment of older people. For example, an abstract on dementia would need to provide a connection between abuse of human rights and dementia.

We encourage submissions presenting the perspectives and experiences of diverse communities under every theme and topic, and initiatives and programs from remote, rural, regional and metropolitan areas.

Themes and topics that may be considered

At the heart of this conference are the voices and experiences of older people. Every stream, theme and session is guided by their stories, insights and leadership. The conference is a platform for older people to be seen and heard. They are central to shaping the responses, reforms and cultural change needed to end elder abuse. 

Rights, systems and reform
Placing older people’s lived and living experience at the centre of rights-based advocacy and system reform:

• government strategies (e.g. National Plan) 
  
• legal frameworks and inquiries
• supported decision-making
• safeguarding frameworks
• universal access to specialist services
• progressing rights of older people (Charter of Human Rights, UN Convention).

Health, Wellbeing and Financial Security 
Shaping health and financial systems through the experiences of older people and their families: 

• psychological abuse and coercive control
• health justice partnerships and integrated models
• trauma-informed responses
• roles of aged care, hospitals, GPs and community health
• financial abuse (early intervention, age-inclusive banking, digital scams)
• bridging the digital divide for older people.

Culture, Community and Country 
Elevating the voices of older people in First Nations and culturally diverse communities to shape responsive and respectful services: 

• First Nations perspectives - Lore vs law
• CALD perspectives
• culturally responsive and community-led services
• diverse communities experiences of abuse
• cultural connection as healing.

Prevention and Early Intervention 
Grounding prevention strategies in the lived realities of older people, carers and communities:

• public health approaches
• community education and awareness-raising
• intergenerational practice and engagement
• anti-ageism strategies
• carers' role in prevention
• climate resilience and displacement of older populations. 

Housing, Place and Security 
Recognising housing as central to older people’s sense of safety, independence and dignity: 

• addressing housing insecurity for older people
• ageing in place and appropriate housing arrangements
• affordable housing for future generations
• property law reform - eliminating presumption of advancement.

Healing, Recovery and Resilience 
Building recovery pathways informed by older people’s experiences of harm and healing: 

• therapeutic models and restorative justice
• intergenerational healing
• recovery-oriented practice
• trauma-informed and culturally safe responses.

We invite proposals from people with lived experience, scholars, community organisations, service providers, policymakers, arts-based practitioners and anyone who believes their presentation has a strong contribution to make.

Visual and performing art, which could include video, podcasts, liver performance or exhibitions/installations is encouraged. The spoken conference program and the conference venue offer many opportunities to bring different perspectives to delegates.

The Program Committee is eager to explore how content in different languages can be presented during the conference and we invite you to submit your ideas either in an abstract or to contact us directly.

What We Value

• relevance to the conference themes
• clear and inclusive language
• a coherent argument, story or artist’s statement
• language and/or imagery accessible to a mixed audience of generalists, specialists, scholars and members of the public from diverse communities.

Guidelines for Submission

• Abstracts should be a maximum of 500 words excluding references
• Please use references sparingly, if at all, and present them in Harvard style
• Changes and amendments can be made to draft abstracts online until the submission deadline
• No changes can be made once you have submitted the abstract
• If you are unable to use the online submission system, please contact the event organiser aeac@nectarcc.com.au to arrange another form of submission
• Please indicate how long you envisage your presentation, panel discussion or performance would be expected to take (maximum in breakout sessions is one hour including Q&A) in the body of your abstract

Evaluation Criteria

Abstracts for Stand Up, Speak Out will be evaluated by the following criteria:

• Elevates the diverse voices and lived experience of older people
• If including older people in your proposed session, how will you go about addressing any wellbeing or legal risks including support offered before, during and in the weeks after any in-person participation. Similarly, use of case studies must be deidentified and be developed with the full consent of the older person concerned
• Relevance to the elder abuse brand statement of the conference (as above) with a focus on ending abuse of older people (not scams or consumer issues)
• Based on evidence or grounded in experience or practice
• Adds to the diversity of voices and perspectives on the program
• Potential to enhance Australia’s capacity and momentum to end the abuse of older people.

Program Planning

To create a rich, engaging program, the Committee may propose combining similar abstracts into a joint session or panel discussion. This might be suggested when submissions share a theme, offer complementary perspectives or if program space is limited. Authors will be contacted as early as possible to discuss this collaboratively.

Terms and Conditions

The submission of an abstract indicates acceptance of the following terms and conditions:

• the Program Committee will seek reviewers for all abstracts and will consider their reviews when deciding whether to accept proposals
• members of the Program Committee may act as reviewers
• the Program Committee’s decision will be final
• only those abstracts formally accepted will be published in the conference program
• all named authors must approve the submission of the abstract and presentation of the work prior to abstract submission. It is the responsibility of the person making the submission to gain these approvals
• at least one author must be available to present the work in person if it is selected for the program
• accepted presenters who do not register and pay for the conference by the deadline for registrations may have their abstracts withdrawn
• presenters will immediately notify the event managers by email to aeac@nectarcc.com.au if they are unable to present their work or if the presenter changes.

The Program Committee reserves the right to remove or change the time of a presentation from the program.

Q Can I submit my abstract in multiple formats?
A You will have 500 words to submit your abstract overview. You can also provide a link to a video or audio file to support your submission if you wish.

Q Can I submit more than one abstract?
A Abstract submissions are limited to two per person.

Q What happens if my abstract is similar to another submission?
A The Program Committee may propose combining abstracts into joint sessions or panels.

Q Can I present in a language other than English?
A The conference language is English. If you would prefer to present in another language you will need to provide translation services.

Q Will my session be recorded?
A Yes, all conference sessions will be recorded

Q Do I need to register for the conference if my abstract is accepted?
A Yes, at least one presenter should attend the conference to secure their place in the program.

Q Is there a special rate for me to register if my abstract is accepted?
A Yes there is a discounted speaker rate offered to abstract speakers if they register before 31 January 2026. Successful authors will be sent a link to register using this rate.

Q Can I update or change my abstract after submission?
A You can save your submission as a draft while you are working on it but no updates can be made once you’ve submitted it.

Q Are travel or accommodation subsidies available?
A The conference is not offering travel or accommodation subsidies to abstract authors.

Q Can I request accessibility support for my presentation?
A Yes, the venue is accessible and any other access requirements can be accommodated.

Q How will I know if my abstract is accepted?
A Authors will be notified in late November of their acceptance via the email address used when submitting.

Q Do I need to provide slides or materials in advance?
A Yes, all authors will be required to provide their onscreen materials (PowerPoint slides and/or videos) by Friday 17 July 2026.