13th July 2009
According to the council’s Safeguarding Adults Board, a multi-agency panel featuring representatives from the police, council, GPs and two local hospitals, said the number of reports of actual and potential abuse has increased from 117 in 2004-05 to 370 in 2008-09.
This type of abuse, which relates to vulnerable people, such as those over 65 and adults with learning disabilities, is often physical and often relates to money, with many cases where older people have lost substantial sums of money by allowing friends, relatives or carers free access to their bank accounts.
According to Keezia Obi, the council’s Head of Safeguarding Adults, said the reason for the increase in cases is due to increased awareness of the issue, though she says overall that abuse of vulnerable adults is still “largely hidden”.
Following a year-long project by the board, which was informed by 530 responses to a public consultation at the beginning of the year, a list of ten priority areas has been drawn up.
These include making it easier for people to report abuse, providing advice to victims on how to decrease handle abusive situations and increasing the number of prosecutions of abusers.
To find out more, information sessions will be held on July 21 from 11 to 3pm at Edmonton leisure centre and Enfield Town library.
Naree Shakti will hold a drop-in centre on July 21 on how to protect yourself. The centre’s address at Trinity Bowes Methodist Church, Palmerston Road, Palmers Green. For more information call Mrs Rattan 0208 888 6957. The centre also holds a laughing club for older people on Thursdays 11.30 until 12.30pm with light refreshments for older people.
Abridged
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