Elder Abuse

What is Elder Abuse?

Elder Abuse is one of the three threads under Safeguarding. However, Adult at Risk and elder abuse are managed jointly under legislation and the Wales Safeguarding Procedures.

“Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights and includes physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse; financial and material abuse; abandonment; neglect; and serious loss of dignity and respect.”

World Health Organisation

Elder Abuse falls within the Safeguarding arena with all types of abuse being possible. Exploitation including cuckooing can be part of this (see criminal exploitation). According to the National Care Helpline over half a million older people experience elder abuse in the UK, often by people they trust as friends or relavites, with women over 70 who are dependent, frail and alone seen as particularly vulnerable to this form of abuse. They go on to say that at the heart of it is an expectation of trust built up with an older person that is subsequently violated.

Whilst all forms of abuse can occur to those who are older, the UK Government has specifically identified five specific forms of abuse:

• • Neglect: not caring for someone properly
  • Manipulated Theft: pressuring someone to give away money or property, including the changing of Wills
  • Psychological: threats, harassment, can include forcing someone to live where they don’t want to
  • Physical: violence
  • Sexual.

Hourglass (formerly Action on Elder Abuse) identifies that “abuse is any action that violates a person’s human or civil rights. It can take many forms and involve a number of factors”. They list the types of abuse as financial, sexual, psychological, physical, domestic abuse and neglect. A number of these can be linked to other topics that are covered on this website.

“Abuse can occur as a spontaneous act, where the perpetrator takes advantage of a situation, or as a premeditated and calculated act. At base, these forms of abuse stem from the real or perceived vulnerability of older people.” Hourglass

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales has stopping abuse of older people as one of the main priorities, including having set up an Abuse Action Group.