PARENTS spend their lives raising and giving love to children, but a growing scourge of elder abuse is seeing the relationship turn damaging and controlling later in life.

Darling Downs Crime Prevention officer Sergeant Tony Rehn said financial abuse was the most common form across the region.

In some cases children convince a parent to obtain a credit card then start making purchases themselves, or sell their parents' homes and set them up in a granny flat where they are left alone with little money.

"Some people justify it to themselves that they'll get it when mum or dad pass away so I'll just take it, sometimes it's not intentional," Sgt Rehn said.

In the Darling Downs region there were 73 victims of elder abuse recorded between 2015-16, with the most common form being financial abuse.

Across Queensland there were twice as many women affected as men, but most victims were aged 80-84.

In 72.9% of cases the abuse was between parent and child.

Sgt Rehn said legislation was being introduced in relation to domestic violence orders.

"It's the same as in a senior's relationship, there's that breach of trust and power and control," he said.

Australia's big banks teamed up with seniors to tackle elder abuse ahead of a meeting between state and federal attorneys-general today.

Establishing an online register of power of attorney orders and a dedicated body to crackdown on elderly abuse are some of the measures being called for by seniors and the banks.

In a joint letter sent to every attorney-general in the country, the big banks and seniors groups have called on them to take "decisive action".

To report elder abuse phone Crime Stoppers on 1300333000.