About Action on Elder Abuse
One in twenty older people in the community and as many as one in three living in care homes are abused.
Elder abuse can take many forms - physical (hitting, kicking, burning, restraint), sexual, financial (theft and fraud), psychological (bullying, ignoring, intimidating), and abuse by neglect.
Those with physical and mental disabilities are most at risk of abuse as they are often heavily dependent on others for their wellbeing. Low income also increases vulnerability as it can force people into the lowest quality of care with no choice over who provides it.
The fact that abuse is usually carried out by someone well-known to the victim - a family member, a care worker, a health or social worker or other professional - can make it extremely difficult to act.
Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) exists to protect older people from abuse. It works directly with the victims of abuse and those who care for them (in a professional or personal capacity) through its helpline, providing advice and emotional support to callers and giving them the information and confidence they need to take action and put an end to the abuse.
As well as providing advice and support to those actually involved in cases of abuse, AEA seeks to educate everyone who comes into contact with older people about abuse, how to recognise it and what to do if abuse is suspected. To this end, it produces information and training materials and runs a programme of conferences. Not only is this work aimed at prompting recognition of abuse, it also has an important element of prevention.
Almost a third of calls to AEA's helpline reports a paid worker as being the abuser. By educating those that work with older people, AEA is promoting good practice and reducing the chance of abuse occurring in the first place.
Our history
Action on Elder Abuse was established in 1993 by a group of concerned health and social care professionals, academics and members of the voluntary sector as a response to the lack of recognition given to elder abuse in the UK.
The organisation has grown fast over the last eight years to cope with the enormous demand on its services. From a staff of one part-timer in 1993 it now has eight full-time and five part-time staff pursuing its objectives.
Staff have worked hard to establish the charity as the authority on elder abuse in the UK and their services are well respected by others working in the field. They are routinely consulted by the government, policy-makers and the media for expert opinion and comment.