The charity has said 51% of its referrals for over 65s were people reporting abuse from a former or current partner and 41% disclosed abuse from an adult son or daughter.
It added that 23% of its referrals for over 65s were from men, which it said was a higher rate than in younger age groups.
“Among the older population we are seeing a rise in adult children abusing their elderly parents,” Ms Offord said.
“We are also seeing targeting of older people with additional vulnerabilities such as isolation and economic abuse.”
IDAS recruited its first older persons’ domestic abuse worker in 2023 and has since added two more members of staff.
Kadi Greenwood is part of the team and has been trying to raise awareness about domestic abuse with people over the age of 60, particularly those who might not use the internet.
“It’s not new, it’s been happening for a very long time but it’s only recently been recognised,” she said.
“Everyone has their preconceived ideas about what domestic abuse is.
“A lot of it is control, a lot of it is emotional abuse and a lot of it is financial, especially among older people.”
If you’ve been affected by domestic abuse or controlling behaviour, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line.
