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OAP Abuse Complaints Soar 240%
By Chris Musson, Evening Times
Scotland
August 3, 2005
Calls to a Scottish helpline about abuse of old people have more than tripled in a year, it was revealed today.
Age Concern Scotland said complaints about abuse to the Scottish Helpline for Older People had soared by 240% over the past 12 months.
The helpline, run by the charity, receives around 40-50 calls a day on 0845 125 9732 - many of them about abuse of the elderly in their homes or in care homes.
But Age Concern fears many incidents at care homes go unreported for fear of retribution.
It says current estimates that 10% of elderly people have suffered mistreatment may just be the tip of the iceberg.
And fellow charity Help The Aged claims the human rights of most care home residents can be ignored because of a legal loophole.
The charity says the 25,000 residents of private care homes in Scotland have less protection under law than those in local authority-run centres.
Help the Aged is urging the Scottish Executive to press ahead with plans for a Scottish Human Rights Commission to bolster the rights of the elderly and better protect them from abuse and neglect.
The call was echoed by Age Concern Scotland.
The charities say "institutional cultures" at care homes breach basic human rights such as privacy or degrading treatment.
A Help the Aged report describes hygiene problems, the use of inappropriate restraints - including drugs - and restricted access to food and water.
And in one case highlighted by Age Concern, a 20-year-old care worker quit her job in Glasgow after just six weeks because of concerns about the rationing of incontinence pads, a lack of staff to help residents to the bathroom, and people being confined to the TV lounge with no opportunity for exercise or outings.
However, Help the Aged says only local authority services are covered by the UK-wide Human Rights Act.
Scottish Executive figures show a care home population of around 34,000 in September 2004. But the vast majority - around 25,000 - were in private care homes.
Tessa Harding, of Help the Aged, said: "Only the full force of comprehensive human rights legislation will adequately protect our frailest elders."
David Manion, chief executive of Age Concern Scotland, said: "Older people should have their rights upheld regardless of where they live and how they are cared for."
Ann Ferguson, elder abuse project manager from Age Concern Scotland, said charities were awaiting new research on the level of abuse.
She said: "At the moment we are looking at about one in 10 older people UK-wide who have suffered abuse. But we expect the new findings to be much higher."
The Care Commission, which regulates care services in Scotland, said the principles of the Human Rights Act were "already enshrined in the National Care Standards", which must be met by every care home in Scotland.
A spokeswoman said: "We take the view that a home must comply with the Human Rights Act in order to comply with the National Care Standards. Where necessary, we will take action to ensure the standards are met."
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