Sixteen elderly people abused in Cumbrian care homes

Sixteen people were abused or neglected in Cumbria’s old folks’ homes and day centres in the past year, The Cumberland News can reveal.

And those in charge of caring for vulnerable adults have admitted it is likely that the cases proven by police and social services are the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to the suffering of elderly Cumbrians.

Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board (CSAB) has received 380 reports of mistreatment of pensioners – including those who live in their own homes – since last April.

The figures, uncovered using the Freedom of Information Act, are up by a third on the year before.

In total, 36 of the allegations related to nursing homes, care homes and a day centre.

Physical attacks were the most prevalent complaints.

Neglect, psychological and financial abuse accounted for most of the others.

There were also two allegations of sexual assaults, both in Carlisle.

According to Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board, the referrals were proven in 16 cases.

One led to a criminal prosecution and six were dealt with by “police action”.

Other measures taken against the perpetrators included intervention by the social watchdog the Care Quality Commission, disciplinary procedures, counselling, training and a referral to the Government’s adult protection scheme.

A CSAB spokesman said: “The procedures for responding to suspected cases of abuse and neglect are regularly updated and amended in response to experience and practice and we are confident that the appropriate level of action is being taken in each case.”

The board believes the rise in the number of referrals is a positive step forward because it means more people are becoming aware of how the elderly should be treated.

It is also been interpreted as an indication that attempts to encourage people to come forward with their suspicions are succeeding.

However, the board fears the real level of abuse is much higher than the statistics suggest.

It has been estimated that about one in 40 Cumbrians over the age of 65 who live in private households are likely to have experienced mistreatment during the last 12 months.

The latest data available from Cumbria Intelligence Observatory puts the 65-plus population at 97,900.

This would mean 2,425 of the county’s pensioners are in danger.

They will have been hurt or denied the help they need by family members, carers, friends or neighbours.

The CSAB spokesman added: “When the Cumbria Safeguarding Adults Board launched its Blind Eye campaign, we said that 300 referrals was only the tip of the iceberg.

“We don’t yet know how deep the iceberg is, but it is undoubtedly the case that there are many instances of neglect and abuse – be it physical, emotional, financial, sexual, domestic or discriminatory – that are going unreported.”

CSAB is a partnership between Cumbria County Council, Cumbria Constabulary, NHS Cumbria and other relevant agencies.

It has urged everyone with concerns regarding the safety of an elderly person to call police or social services.