Unexplained falls, bed sores and weight loss among older patients may be signs of elder abuse, the RACGP’s updated aged care guidelines warn.

The fifth edition of the college’s Silver Book is the first to include a chapter on elder abuse, including potential symptoms and what GPs can do to respond.

Estimates on the prevalence of elder abuse vary widely, but potentially more than half a million older Australians experience some form of abuse, based on WHO figures for high-income countries.

“All general practices and GPs who see older patients will be potentially seeing older people who are experiencing abuse,” say the guidelines, published on Wednesday.