Older people can sometimes be more vulnerable to abuse or to not having their rights fully respected, protected or fulfilled.
Yet, it is only in recent years that the public has started to become aware of the problem and policy makers, practitioners and researchers have started to make a concerted effort to understand and address the issue. The Adult Support and Protection Bill passed in 2007 sought to protect adults at risk of being abused. Despite this legislation it is estimated that elder abuse affects over 20,000 people in the Scotland each year.
Where family members perpetrate abuse there is a reluctance to involve the police. Where an older person lacks full capacity it appears to be much harder to secure a prosecution, resulting in perpetrators of serious crimes going free.
Raising awareness of elder abuse will help to ensure older people are protected from abuse.
Act against harm
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