MORE THAN 120 complaints of alleged elder abuse by individuals providing home-help services have been received by the HSE elder abuse service since 2007.
The service received 124 complaints of elder abuse in the category “paid carer/staff” against an older person residing in their home or a relative’s home, figures released under the Freedom of Information Act show.
This represents less than 2 per cent of the 6,389 cases of alleged elder abuse received by the HSE up to the end of November 2010.
Of 124 complaints, 89 case investigations have been concluded and an outcome reached. In 22 cases the allegations of elder abuse were substantiated. A further 39 cases were classified as “confirmed non-abuse”.
Two cases were reclassified as self-neglect, and the remaining 26 were deemed inconclusive as it was not possible to prove or disprove the allegation.
The 124 complaints involved alleged abuse in 166 categories – in some cases the allegation involved more than one form of abuse.
Of the alleged elder abuse cases 43 per cent related to financial abuse; 26 per cent psychological abuse; 15 per cent neglect; 11 per cent physical abuse; 2 per cent self-neglect; 1 per cent sexual abuse; and 1 per cent discrimination.
Some 35 cases remain open.
The complaints received by the HSE relating to the category of “paid carer/staff” are less than 0.2 per cent of all clients in receipt of home-help services by the HSE and outside agencies.
Eamon Timmins, head of advocacy and communications with Age Action, said the number of complaints received by the elder abuse service would be an under-representation as it was the international norm that elder abuse cases were under-reported. However, he noted that the HSE was launching an awareness campaign in the months to come.
He added that when we have a home-help system in Ireland that remained unregulated it was no surprise there were “people abusing positions of trust”.
A HSE spokeswoman said anyone who was being abused or was concerned about abuse could contact the HSE information line on 1850-241850 from Monday to Saturday from 8am to 8pm, or contact a health professional such as a GP, public health nurse or social worker. She said all referrals of alleged elder abuse to the HSE were treated in confidence.