Elder abuse figures - Just tip of the iceberg

Figures released yesterday by the Health Service Executive on elder abuse make horrific reading.

Society largely ignored the problems of child abuse over the decades, and the figures suggest that the plight of equally vulnerable people has been overlooked in the form of elder abuse.

Last year, 927 cases of alleged elder abuse were reported to the HSE. The number for the first nine months of this year was up by more than a third on the whole of last year. More than two-thirds of the complaints were made against close family members — sons, daughters or spouses.

The cases involved allegations of psychological abuse and neglect, as well as physical ill treatment, and financial abuse by the misuse of pension money. There were even 26 cases of sexual abuse in the form of unwanted advances or sexual assaults.

Age Action welcomed the release of the HSE figures. These highlight the problem of elder abuse for the first time, but Age Action ominously warns the figures were the “tip of the iceberg”. More must be done to ensure that the elderly are protected against such abuse.