A special report has an appalling revelation that around 350, 000 British senior citizens were victims of some kind of abuse, over the last year.
The major survey carried out by the National Center for Social Research and King’s College London, and funded by the Department of Health and Comic Relief is the first national study into the prevalence of elder abuse.The report titled: UK Study of Abuse and Neglect, found that 4 percent of over-65s had been mistreated in their own home by family, close friends, care workers, neighbors or acquaintances.
In response, Care services minister Ivan Lewis, has promised a review of adult protection guidance and possible new legislation. The inquiry also found that half of all incidents involved a partner or family member, with one in eight involving a care worker.
Speaking at the report’s launch, Lewis said the review would also consider the case for putting adult protection on a legislative footing, like child protection. Charity Elder Abuse had launched a campaign in April calling for adult protection legislation.
Says Lewis: “This research gives us the first objective and scientific assessment of the prevalence of elder abuse. We now have with some precision an up-to-date estimate of the size of the challenge that we face. Older people deserve to be treated with dignity and respect - abuse in any setting is just unacceptable.”
A note-worthy finding was that 53 percent of the abusers were living in the respondent’s house at the time of abuse.
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Source-Medindia
ANN/M
