500,000 are believed to be abused at any one time in the UK, yet 35 per cent of Northern Ireland’s public have never even heard the term elder abuse.

What is elder abuse?

Elder abuse is an action, or lack of action, which causes harm to an older person in a relationship where there is an expectation of trust. There are five main types of abuse: physical, psychological, financial, sexual or neglect. An older person may either suffer from only one form of abuse, or different types of abuse at the same time.

There is no such thing as a typical abuser; many different factors can trigger abuse. The person abusing could be a partner, child or relative; a friend or neighbour; a volunteer worker; or a health, social care or other worker.

Abuse can occur in many different settings; in an individual's own home, in a day centre, in a residential or nursing home, in a hospital or elsewhere.

Elder abuse occurs for many reasons and the causes are not yet fully understood. Some abuse is unintentional - for example physical harm might be caused because someone lacks the training to lift the older person correctly. Lack of knowledge and understanding or frustration can also lead to mistreatment. But some people harm others deliberately. A vulnerable older person, such as one suffering from dementia, may be seen as an easy target or as someone who will not be believed.

Our demands

Help the Aged seeks to increase awareness about elder abuse and to demand that the Government takes action to help stop elder abuse. Our calls include:

• Increased access to independent advocacy for older people so they can speak out about abuse and get support.
• Increased awareness of elder abuse within law enforcement agencies including the Crown Prosecution Service.
• The establishment of a register of health and social care workers who cannot work with older people because they pose a risk to them.

To find out how you can help us achieve these goals see What you can do.

The Northern Ireland campaign

Help the Aged launched the Help Stop Elder Abuse campaign in Northern Ireland in January 2006 at Belfast City Hall. The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Wallace Brown, opened the event and over 100 older people and representatives from a variety of professions and organisations were in attendance.

The Northern Ireland campaign runs alongside the main UK campaign working towards the same goal - to eradicate elder abuse. However, there are a number of elements of the campaign that are unique to Northern Ireland.

Elder Abuse Comic Relief Programme

The Elder Abuse Comic Relief Programme brings together a consortium of organisations working jointly to address the issue of elder abuse in Northern Ireland (Action on Elder Abuse, Age Concern Northern Ireland, Help the Aged in Northern Ireland, the Alzheimer's Society, Carers NI, and Women’s Aid).

The programme will raise awareness of the problem of elder abuse; provide access to independent advocacy; develop a therapeutic response to support those who experience abuse; and provide education for independent care providers in Northern Ireland. It will be formally launched in April 2007.

Help Stop Elder Abuse video

To highlight some of the shocking stories of abuse received by the Action on Elder Abuse helpline, local personalities from BBC Newsline and UTV Live took part in the production of a case study video. The BBC’s Noel Thompson, Donna Traynor and Stephen Watson, UTV’s Pamela Ballantine and Lynda Bryans, and playwright Martin Lynch tell these powerful stories of abuse in a way that protects the identity of the older people involved. The video was launched at the City Hall event and has been distributed to various organisations for use as an awareness raising device and training tool for staff.

Videos are available by contacting the Belfast Office on 028 9023 0666 or by emailing us

Local Council Resolution

Help the Aged in Northern Ireland is rolling out the Elder Abuse campaign across the region with public meetings in Derry, Ballymena, Omagh, Armagh, and will be approaching all 26 Local Councils asking them to sign up to a resolution to Help Stop Elder Abuse.

To date, six local councils have signed the motion:

• Armagh City and District Council
• Belfast City Council
• Carrickfergus Borough Council
• Down District Council
• Fermanagh District Council
• Lisburn City County

Early Day Motion – Northern Ireland MPs

To date, ten Northern Ireland MPs have signed the Early Day Motion to Help Stop Elder Abuse:

• Campbell, Gregory (DUP)
• Dodds, Nigel (DUP)
• Donaldson, Jeffrey (DUP)
• Robinson, Iris (DUP)
• Simpson, David (DUP)
• Wilson, Sammy (DUP)
• Durkan, Mark (SDLP)
• McDonnell, Alasdair (SDLP)
• McGrady, Eddie (SDLP)
• Hermon, Sylvia (UUP)

Lobby your local MP