"Elder abuse must stop" says care watchdog
14/06/2007
The Commission for Social Care Inspection has called for everyone involved in the care of older people to take a stand against elder abuse.
THe CSCI was responding to a new report, the UK Study of Abuse and Neglect, commissioned by Comic Relief and the Department of Health, which shows that many older people face abuse and mistreatment in their own homes every year.
The Commission for Social Care Inspection’s Chief Inspector, Paul Snell, said: “It is important for all agencies, the public, politicians, regulators and policy makers together to take a strong stand against the abuse of older people.
"Professional care agencies and care workers must remain vigilant and report the small minority of people in their industry who are giving others a bad name. We must create a society where people can grow old with dignity, be and feel safe, and continue to enjoy full and satisfying lives.
“We agree with Care Standards Minister Ivan Lewis that it is time to take a fresh look at the adult protection system in England. As with children, the principle that the interests of the older person must be paramount should be enshrined in law. This would give a strong signal to the public, staff and all agencies that elder abuse will not be tolerated - and the system of adult protection should be updated to reflect that.
“This report provides important new information that we all need to consider carefully. CSCI will be looking very closely at the findings of this report to see how we can help older people living in their own homes to have the courage and confidence to raise issues about poor and possibly abusive care, making sure their voices are heard through our regulatory work and in our assessment of councils."
Mr Snell said that the CSCI has already called on councils to re-think the way home care services are delivered. "Last year we produced the first report of its kind looking at all home care services in England. We found that many older people feel their care is too rushed and doesn’t meet their real needs, and that carers do not spend enough time with them to form relationships based on trust and understanding. Although there have been some significant improvements, one in four home care providers still do not meet national minimum standards for care.
“We know that care providers who put proper safeguards in place reduce the chances of abuse happening, and last month we published a best practice bulletin for home care agencies setting out the protocols they need to follow when managing other people’s money on their behalf. These protocols will help to prevent financial abuse, theft or fraud taking place.
“However, there are millions of older people who do not receive care services or live in care homes. They will need to have the courage and confidence to speak out - with the support of society and the authorities - to challenge their abusers and stop the abuse.”