ALMOST 1,000 Cases of Alleged Abuse of Elderly People (UK)

Complaints of abuse on elderly people reach 1,000
By Noel Baker

ALMOST 1,000 cases of alleged abuse of elderly people were referred to the HSE’s elder abuse services last year, figures have revealed.

The statistics, the first to be compiled since the HSE appointed elder abuse officers to check on cases throughout the country, also reveal that in 92% of cases there was a family relationship between the alleged abuser and the older person. Alarmingly, one in five cases alleged physical abuse.

The HSE figures show that in 2007, 927 cases were referred to the elder abuse services, which comprise 26 dedicated staff. The initial research indicates that:

* 88% of clients are living at home, with another 2% living in the homes of relatives.

* 4% are in public continuing care facilities.

* 3% are in private nursing homes.

* 2% are in other places.

The figures also reveal that the main sources of referral are community healthcare staff in 38% of cases, while 16% of cases are referred by family and 14% by other HSE staff. The Garda Síochána was consulted in about 100 cases last year.

As for the nature of the alleged abuse, the initial HSE research indicates that in 29% of cases it took the form of psychological abuse, including forms of emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, intimidation, verbal abuse or isolation.

In another 20% of cases the alleged abuse relates to financial matters, such as theft, fraud, exploitation and pressure in connection with wills, while another 20% of cases involves allegations of physical abuse.

Other forms of alleged abuse in cases investigated by the HSE include discriminatory abuse, neglect and acts of omission, and sexual abuse.

Age Action’s head of advocacy and communications Eamon Timmins said there was “a huge lack of awareness” of elder abuse, but the scale of the problem “would not come as a surprise” to those working in the elderly support sector.

“The state’s policy going back to the late ’60s is to let people live independently in their own homes but, if you look at what they [the Government] are doing in policy terms, it does not stand up,” Mr said Timmins.

A further six officers will join the 26 existing elder abuse officers in the coming weeks, as part of the implementation of recommendations made in 2002 in a working group report on elder abuse.

A national steering group on elder abuse, in addition to the elder abuse steering committees at HSE Area level, has been established to oversee the provision of elder abuse services by the HSE in relation to the detection, reporting and response to cases of alleged abuse.

SOURCE: Irish Examiner