A Bill to impose legal sanctions for financial abuse of the elderly has been introduced in the Dáil.
The Government will not oppose debate on the Vulnerable Persons Bill introduced by Independent TD Mattie McGrath, which he hoped will “re-ignite a national conversation on how we treat elderly people and the measures we can put in place to offer them greater security and peace of mind”.
Mr McGrath said the statistics around financial abuse of the elderly were “deeply disturbing” and showed that between 2007 and 2013 the HSE received 13,000 referrals from senior social workers.
He believed the statistics are “probably an underestimate of the true scale of the problem” and the “tip of the iceberg”
He said a HSE working group report on elder abuse from 13 years ago defined it as “a single or repeated act or lack of appropriate action occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person or violates their human and civil rights”.
The report, “Protecting our Future”, produced in 2002, categorised the various types of abuse resulting from deliberate intent, neglect, thoughtlessness or ignorance such as physical, sexual, psychological and financial or material abuse.
This included theft, fraud, exploitation, pressure in connection with wills, property or inheritance or financial transactions, or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits.
Mr McGrath said elder abuse was an activity that was “cloaked in secrecy and shame on the part of the victims and families involved” and many people did not want to have “situations being reported” or Garda investigations taking place.
His Bill would codify what was meant by financial abuse of the elderly ad would propose “suitable legal sanctions depending on the severity of each case”.
Such financial abuse “means interfering with the financial autonomy and well-being of an elderly person by deception or intimidation or obtaining or using the funds or assets of an elderly person to benefit someone other than the elderly person”.
The Bill will be taken in private member’s rather than Government time.
