Updated 3.42pm: A charity working to help older members of society sees around 2000 cases of elder abuse every year, but their CEO believes it's just the tip of the iceberg.

Today marks the start of Elder Abuse Awareness Week, and Age Concern's CEO Robyn Scott claims 70 percent of elder abuse cases involve family members, making it extremely difficult for someone to seek support.

She says older people should be treated with dignity and respect, and valued for who they are "so that their opinions and hopes and desires and wishes are respected rather than other people thinking that they know what's best for an older person."

Scott says elder abuse can be physical, mental and financial. Other cases of abuse could include using an elderly person's finances inappropriately or without their knowledge, or scamming them out of their money.

New research released today shows around one in 10 older New Zealanders have suffered some form of abuse or neglect.

Senior Citizens Minister Maggie Barry identifies it as a serious and growing problem, with older people who lack connections with their community at increased risk.

Barry said the abusers are often family, and if the older person is socially isolated, they're much more vulnerable.

"It probably is only the tip of the iceberg as well. We're reliably informed that the 2000 reported cases could easily go up to 18 or 20,000."

Barry is now looking at other areas to introduce a pilot programme initially run in Napier has shown success in tackling the problem.