Elder Abuse

1
Elder Abuse

• Half a million older people are experiencing
  abuse at any time in the UK, (Ogg Bennett 1992).

2
Key Points

•                     Many older people in
  institutional settings are unnecessarily sedated
  with anti-psychotic drugs. 82 of older people
  in institutions on narcoleptic medication are
  receiving inappropriate treatment.
•                     The Nursing and Midwifery
  Council receives over 1000 complaints of elder
  abuse per year.
•                     In 1998, 84 nurses lost
  their registration due to elder abuse.

3
The Facts

•                     The National Care Standards
  committee found that only 50 of care homes
  exceeded the minimum acceptable standards,
•                     88 of community and
  district nurses have encountered elder abuse
•                     Financial abuse is
  identified in 88 of reported cases of repeated
  abuse inflicted by family members but only 8 of
  cases inflicted by paid staff.              

4
The Facts

• The average elder homicides is usually slightly
  over 50                    In a study of
  2,812 abused and non abused elders found after a
  period of 13 years 40 of the non abused and only
  9 of the abused elders were still alive, (this
  was regardless of age, sex, and socio-economic
  status).                    Over half of all
  complaints of elder abuse against staff in care
  homes were towards men even though male staff
  only make up 9 of the staffing group in care
  homes

5
The Facts

•                     Individuals with financial
  difficulties are more likely to commit elder
  abuse in both domestic and institutional
  settings                    Only 5 of those
  over the age of 65 live in institutional settings
  however 31 of abuse occurs at these
  locations.                    Action on Elder
  Abuse received 734 calls regarding abuse by
  relatives, the relative was the carer in only 31
  calls.                    In most cases the
  perpetrator of the elder abuse is dependant on
  the elderly relative for housing, and finance and
  not visa versa.

6
Domestic Settings

• Number of victims of elder abuse by role of
  abuser based on the calls to the Action on elder
  Abuse Action Helpline 1997- 1999.
• Carer Family Member 33
• Other 200
• Friend or Neighbour 220
• Paid Worker 550
• Relative (non Carer) 800
• Jenkins et al 2002.

7
Types of abuse

• Sexual abuse 20
• Other 25
• Neglect 210
• Physical 500
• Financial 500
• Psychological 875

8
Offences recorded as homicide of older people
1997- 2003

• 97-98 45
• 98-99 55
• 99-00 62
• 00-01 57
• 01-02 62
• 02-03 220
• Povey 2004

9
Victims of elder abuse by Age

• 50-54 M15 F20
• 55-59 M14 F18
• 60-64 M22 F68
• 65-65 M28 F70
• 70-74 M52 F126
• 75-79 M40 F110
• 80-84 M65 F170
• 85-89 M40 F88