Shropshire rallies together to support World Elder Abuse Day
Care homes and day centres across Shropshire will join forces on Wednesday 15 June 2011 to encourage people to wear purple to highlight and raise awareness for World Elder Abuse Day.
There will be 22 events across the county supported by organisations including Shropshire Council, Shropshire Partners in Care and Telford and Wrekin Council, to draw attention to the problem of the abuse of older people and how people can be protected from abuse and neglect.
The events, based mostly at care homes and day centres throughout Shropshire, will involve information and advice sessions as well as a host of activities, coffee mornings and quizzes that will be held at centres run by Shropshire Council, including:
- Four Rivers, Ludlow
- Helena Lane, Ludlow
- Meres Day Centre, Ellesmere
- Bradbury Day Centre, Whitchurch
- Crowmoor House, Shrewsbury
Other events from the independent sector include Woodcote Hall, Newport; Doddington Lodge, Hopton Wafers; Cheswardine Hall Nursing and Residential Home; Chipnall Coverage Care at Home, Donnington; and The Rylands Nursing and Residential Home, Newport.
The aim of the campaign is to increase public awareness of adult abuse which can be physical, emotional, financial, sexual, discriminatory or institutional, and advise people on what to do if abuse or neglect of adults is occurring or suspected, and who to contact for help.
Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member, Councillor Ann Hartley, said:-
“Our most important priority is to protect our most vulnerable residents, and we are committed to ensuring robust and vigilant procedures are in place for safeguarding vulnerable adults at risk from abuse. People don’t necessarily understand what constitutes abuse or neglect and what can be done to protect vulnerable people, so World Elder Abuse Day is all about raising awareness and how we can all help. I would really urge residents to show their support and wear something purple on World Elder Abuse Day and help us put an end to adult abuse.”
Shropshire’s multi agency safeguarding team work closely with colleagues across all health, police and social care organisations in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin to ensure that all suspected incidents of adult abuse or neglect are taken extremely seriously and investigated fully and appropriately, whilst ensuring victims are fully supported and provided with appropriate help and advice.
Peter Clarke, service manager, safeguarding and review at Shropshire Council, said:-
“We want to make it absolutely clear that in Shropshire we will not tolerate any form of abuse, and take any abuse of vulnerable people very seriously. Our multi agency safeguarding team and partners robustly investigates any reported instances of harm or potential harm being caused to any vulnerable person. Over the last year there have been four prosecutions and 19 police actions as a result of adult protection investigations.”
If you have any suspicion that it is occurring to someone you know, contact us on 0345 678 9005. Alternatively you can report any concerns online at shropshire.gov.uk
For more information about these events call Karen Littleford at Shropshire Partners in Care on 01743 860011.
Further information
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is marked each year on 15 June. It was established by the United Nations, following representations by INPEA (the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse).
Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) is the UK co-ordinator and provides help, support and guidance to people who are suffering or concerned about abuse of elderly people.
