Swansea University academic joins working group to protect elderly in Wales

Dr Simon Hoffman, from the College of Law and Criminology at Swansea University has been asked to act as Vice Chair of a working group that will develop proposals for legislative guidance in respect of human rights for older people. The working group will submit its proposals to the Welsh Government and will call on Ministers to take action to protect the rights of older people.

The Older People’s Commissioner for Wales, Sarah Rochira, will Chair the working group, which will be made up of experts in older people’s human rights.

Addressing members of the National Assembly last week the Older People’s Commissioner called upon the next Welsh Government to do more to protect the elderly from abuse, neglect and discrimination.

The Commissioner said that the rights of too many older people, particularly those who may be vulnerable, diminish as they get older, adding that the impact often had “devastating” consequences on their lives.

Dr Hoffman, who is an expert in international human rights law at Swansea University said: “it’s a sad fact that older people’s rights are too often overlooked, leading to loss of dignity and physical or emotional harm.”

Commenting on the objectives of the working group Dr Hoffman added: “We will seek to produce a workable proposal for law in Wales which will protect and promote older people’s human rights.”