MP SUPPORTS ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS TEA PARTY

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 29th Jun 2008

Sutton and Cheam MP, Paul Burstow, took part in an elder abuse awareness 'tea party' at Trickett House sheltered housing scheme on Friday (27th June). The event was organised by the Sutton Housing Society and Belmont Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Research by Kings College into elder abuse in the UK found that as many as 342,400 people over the age of 66 are victims of abuse every year. Abuse can include theft, assault and intimidation.

The Sutton Housing Society organised the tea party for residents of their sheltered housing schemes to raise awareness.

Commenting, Paul Burstow MP said, "Elder abuse is more common than most people think. The Sutton Housing Society is right to want to raise awareness. The sad fact is that just as in cases of child abuse and domestic violence the victims often suffer in silence and those who could blow the whistle on the abuser don't."

Paul Burstow MP has been waging a parliamentary campaign on elder abuse for over eight years. He will be meeting the Prime Minister on 16th July to make the case for changes to the law to protect vulnerable older people.