Government must shift thinking to challenge elder abuse

12.57.05pm GMT Thu 19th Feb 2004

Elder abuse is of a scale that requires a significant shift in government thinking and change in professional practices, Paul Burstow MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, will say today in a speech to the Age Concern Conference in Birmingham.

In a speech entitled, Challenging the Taboo - Breaking the Manacles of Abuse, Paul Burstow MP, will say:

"Elder abuse is of a scale that requires a significant shift in government thinking and change in professional practices."

Evidence given to the Select Committee from the National Care Standards Commission showed that just 1% of care homes exceed the standards on medicine management, 45% meet them, 42% almost meet them - although half of these will take more than a just a quick fix to reach the standard - and finally there are 12% of care homes who fail to meet the standard - as many as 1,600 care homes.

"The over-medication of elderly people is abuse, it denies people their dignity and it can result in death.

"If we are to successfully challenge ageist attitudes in society we must also challenge institutional ageism in the Department of Health. Institutional ageism that not only tolerates lower standards in care homes for the elderly compared to those for children and disabled adults but actually set those standards.

"The best way to safeguard older people is to change the way society thinks about and treats older people."