By Sam Strangeways
15 March 2009
There were a "startling" 144 cases of alleged elder abuse reported between April and December last year, MPs heard yesterday.
The figure, contained in this year's Budget book, was highlighted by Shadow Health and Seniors Minister Louise Jackson during a debate on the Ministry of Culture and Social Rehabilitation.
In each case, an investigation was begun within 48 hours of the complaint being made. Mrs. Jackson said the abuse of seniors was not fully understood by the community, despite a campaign launched by Government last year to publicise the passing of the Senior Abuse Register Act.
"We have had 140 something reports of elder abuse," she said. "To my mind, that's startling."
Mrs. Jackson also touched on the high cost of residential care for seniors, describing the $7,580 monthly cost of a place for someone in need of nursing care at the Continuing Care Unit at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital as "whopping".
She said too many people were in need of places at rest homes and waiting lists were too long.
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