A UK-based campaign group on elder abuse has received more than 2,000 calls from the State in the past year since it started providing a separate Irish helpline number.
The Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) charity opened the Irish helpline (1800 940 010) last summer because its UK helpline had been receiving a steady stream of calls from the State.
The new number received more than 1,500 calls in the aftermath of the Prime Time Investigates documentary on mistreatment at Leas Cross nursing home. It now receives about 10 calls a week, many of which last an hour or so.
This is separate to the calls received by the Senior Helpline (1850 440 444), the service based in Summerhill, Co Meath, and run by a team of older volunteers. Of the 5,600 calls received by that helpline last year, more than 1,000 concerned elder abuse.
Abuse of an older person could be financial, physical, emotional, psychological or sexual and the abuser may be a partner, child, relative, friend, neighbour or care worker. Tracey Wells, AEA helpline manager, said most of the calls to their Irish service concerned abuse in private and public nursing homes. Others concerned claims of financial abuse.
In the immediate aftermath of the Prime Time programme, the helpline received complaints relating to more than 20 care homes. There were numerous complaints about the use of inappropriate restraints and the lack of feeding.
The helpline does not provide legal advice but gives information about elder abuse and indicates what action might be taken in response to abuse or to prevent it.
Ms Wells said she expected there would be another surge in calls if the helpline was publicised again, as it was in the wake of the Leas Cross affair. The Swords nursing home closed last year after the HSE withdrew public patients from it, shortly after the Prime Time programme.
Yesterday, AEA called for updated legislation to prevent elder abuse and for more transparency in nursing home standards. Ms Wells said nursing home inspections were more transparent in Britain, with reports freely available.
