The Law Society of NSW supports recommendations by the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC) for the development of a national plan to combat and prevent the abuse and mistreatment of elder Australians.

Elder abuse may take many forms; physical abuse, psychological or emotional abuse, financial abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, Law Society of NSW President Pauline Wright said.

"Elder Australians more commonly face verbal abuse, bullying and harassment," Ms Wright said. "Sadly, financial abuse also frequently occurs, often perpetrated within families or by someone known to the victim such as a friend, carer or neighbour.

"No older person should suffer from abuse, mistreatment or neglect."

Ms Wright said a national plan backed by additional funding and supported by the private sector was needed to address the abuse of elder Australians and generate effective prevention and intervention strategies.

"Measures to prevent financial abuse are particularly critical given the rise in Australia's ageing population and the increasing number of Australians living with dementia," Ms Wright said.

A national plan could comprise awareness campaigns, elder abuse hotlines, training for people working with older people and research into the prevalence of elder abuse.

"Laws concerning powers of attorney and guardianship in each state and territory should be harmonised to reduce complexity and overlap," Ms Wright said.

"More support services should also be accessible to Indigenous people particularly in rural and regional areas."

Ms Wright said the banking industry could also help by incorporating a commitment to take reasonable steps to prevent the financial elder abuse of older customers into the Code of Banking Practice.

The Law Society of NSW will form a multidisciplinary working group of solicitors to investigate strategies to prevent elder abuse.