Protect The Aged

Forget "Help The Aged" — We need to Protect the Aged!

When this blog raised the issue of elder abuse three months ago, noting that a sixth of all councils in England are failing to protect vulnerable adults in their care, MikeC commented that "until there is a change in language and consciousness, and we start to avoid such important health issues in primarily financial terms, we will continue to assume that money solves health problems, and will continue to turn a blind eye to the most essential need - for families to look after each other."

With news today that one in five people over 65 suffer from neglect or financial, physical, sexual, or psychological abuse in their own homes, we really must ask, "Who is looking after our elderly neighbours?" And with news that 80% of this abuse involves a family member or carer, we must also ask, "Have we actually checked that they are really OK?"