Elder abuse is when a person causes harm, pain or distress to an elderly person. To abuse an elderly person is to violate their human rights and is against the law. The HSE’s sixth review of referrals of alleged abuse of older people recorded 2,437 cases in 2014, but more than 500 of these related to self-neglect.

Abuse can be psychological, physical, financial or sexual in nature. It can be carried out in a person’s home by a relative, a carer or a ‘friend’ or it may occur in an institution – a nursing home, for example. The majority of abusers are related to the victim.

A lot of victims of elder abuse may not want to report the abuse to the HSE or to the Gardai because they may feel they won’t get adequate support and relief and that the abuse may escalate. There is help. If you or somebody you know is experiencing elder abuse please contact the relevant authorities which are listed below.