The organisation has expressed concern over figures revealed by the Irish Independent revealing that complaints of elder abuse more than doubled over a three-year period to a record 7,500.
It said the figures are “deeply distressing” and highlight the “urgent need” for adult safeguarding legislation which has been debated in the Oireachtas since 2017 but never been enacted.
But the organisation, which supports older people living independently, pointed to the housing crisis as a potential cause behind the spike in cases. It said adequate housing options are essential for safeguarding older people.
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“Inadequate housing often exacerbates the risk of abuse and neglect among older people, leaving them exposed to precarious living conditions and vulnerable to exploitation,” said Alone CEO Sean Moynihan.
According to the latest census, there were 440,000 young adults, or 41pc of all 18 to 34-year-olds, living at home with their parents in 2022. One in five 30-year-olds still live at home.
“The current housing crisis, which is resulting in adults living at home with their older parents for longer, can create the conditions for elder abuse to occur,” Mr Moynihan said.
Figures provided by the HSE for 2023 show there were 4,264 complaints of abuse relating to people aged between 65 and 79-years-old, and 3,239 relating to people over 80.
Of the complaints relating to abuse of 65 to 79-year-old: 1,660 or 39pc involved psychological abuse; 1,117 or 26pc involved physical abuse; 650 or 15pc involved financial abuse; 444 or 10pc involved neglect; 135 or 3pc involved sexual abuse.
Of the complaints relating to abuse of those over 80:1,048 or 32pc involved psychological abuse; 809 or 25pc involved physical abuse; 598 or 148pc involved financial abuse; 475 or 15pc involved neglect; 131 or 4pc involved sexual abuse.
Preliminary assessments are carried out by HSE teams and these found that in 66pc of cases there were reasonable grounds for a complaint, in twenty cases there were no grounds for a complaint and in 14pc of cases further information was required.
“Abuse can take many forms: financial, emotional, physical, sexual, verbal, discrimination and neglect,” said Mr Moynihan. “And it is mostly inflicted by those closest to an older person.”
He is urging “decisive action” to address the issue including the passing of safeguarding legislation for vulnerable adults. This has been on the Dáil agenda since 2017 and there is a renewed commitment in the Programme for Government for the current coalition to progress it.
The figures were provided to the Social Democrats TD for Kildare North, Aidan Farrelly, who is calling for the widening of laws around coercive control which currently include marriage, civil partners are people in an intimate relationships, but do not cover relationships between adult children looking after their parents or other older relatives.
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