Age Action welcomed the publication today by Health Minister Mary Harney of the review of the elder abuse framework and structures, but warned that greater urgency is needed to introduce the measures needed to protect older people.

“The considerable progress made to date in the health care sector when it comes to protecting older people from elder abuse is in sharp contrast to the lack of progress made in the financial sector, where the absence of mandatory training for financial staff in financial elder abuse, and the lack of systems checks to alert staff when suspected financial abuse is occurring is shameful,” Age Action spokesman Eamon Timmins said. “It is time that all financial institutions lived up to their responsibilities, and that the Government ensured they played their part in protecting older people.”

Today’s report highlights financial elder abuse and institutional elder abuse as areas of continuing concern. Age Action shares that concern. Much more needs to be done to protect older people in institutional care, including closer cooperation between the HSE elder abuse senior case workers and HIQA, the charity for older people said.

“Although seven in every 10 nursing home beds in Ireland is now in a private nursing home, the senior case workers have no legal power to enter a private home if there are allegations of elder abuse of a resident, and have only gone into homes in the past with the permission of the owner” Mr Timmins noted. “This situation has to be addressed.”

Age Action also strongly supports the report’s recommendation that the home care sector be regulated. “Older people who receive care in their own homes are vulnerable to abuse and the system must ensure that home care staff are vetted and trained, and operate to recognised standards,” Mr Timmins said. “The crying need for regulation of this sector is clear from the numerous incidents to date of older people being robbed by their carers.”

The charity believed that many cases of elder abuse were not being reported. The 2,700 allegations of abuse investigated by the HSE elder abuse officers in the first two years since they were appointed, contrasts with the estimated 14,000 to 24,000 older people who may have been abused, if Ireland follows international trends.

FOR MEDIA QUERIES CONTACT EAMON TIMMINS, HEAD OF ADVOCACY ANC COMMUNICATIONS, AGE ACTION. 087-9682449