Older people who are lonely are more likely to be exploited or abused

This year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is on Sunday, 15 June 2025. The campaign message in 2025 highlights loneliness and social isolation, an often overlooked but deeply significant factor in elder abuse.

Loneliness and isolation can leave older people unheard and unprotected making them more susceptible to mistreatment. Strong social connections help protect against elder abuse. A connected older person is more visible, making it harder for abuse to occur, and easier to detect when it does.

Elder abuse can take many forms, including physical, emotional, sexual, financial, and neglect. Loneliness and isolation are well established predictors of elder abuse. Addressing loneliness and social isolation can reduce the risks of someone being abused.

Loneliness is not about being alone. It’s more about feeling disconnected, unseen or lacking meaningful connections. Researchers categorise loneliness into 3 types:

• social loneliness or isolation - the lack of friends or people physically nearby to share interests, hobbies, or get together
• emotional loneliness – lack of emotional attachment or relational connectedness
• existential loneliness – the feeling of being in a room full of people you know but still feeling alone

Amanda Casey, HSE Chief Social Worker said:

“This year the theme for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is Connection is Protection.  Connection enables prevention. Early interventions and adequate support systems being in place can link a person with health and community supports. We want to raise awareness that staying connected as we age and support others to stay connected prevents elder abuse. We urge everyone to be aware of people who may be at risk of being exploited, mistreated or abused.  If you suspect a case of elder abuse or neglect, please report it to a health care professional or contact a HSE Safeguarding Team.”

Tim Hanly, HSE National Safeguarding Office said:

“There are direct and indirect associations to abuse when older people are lonely or socially isolated.  Directly, older people who are lonely can be more at risk of abuse such as phone call scams, visitor scams, unhealthy or unsafe relationships and cuckooing and they may also make poorer decisions or take more risks.    Indirectly, loneliness can have detrimental impacts on a person’s health and quality of life. This is more likely to lead to needing care and support increasing the risk of abuse, mistreatment or neglect.

For health and social care staff there is a call to be mindful of how assessments and interventions can support the communication and activate participation of the older person as we advance an individualised person centric approach to safeguarding older people at risk of abuse.”

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day events are taking place across the HSE and in local communities to mark the day. The HSE National Safeguarding Office will also host a free online seminar on Tuesday, 17 June at 11am entitled Connection is Protection.  Registration open via the following link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_aMcwR8CqRTWrhJamMBk4Dw#/registration

Speakers include Mary Murphy from Age Action, Joanna Mc Hugh Power, Loneliness research network at NUI Maynooth and representative from the Garda National Community Policing Unit.

Elder abuse is a pervasive and often hidden issue, affecting millions of older adults worldwide. Studies have estimated that elder abuse affects around 1 in 6 older adults globally.

Advice if you have a concern of abuse or neglect:

If you have a concern about abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person you should report it to a health care professional or to the HSE Safeguarding and Protection Teams (SPTs).

Elder abuse is defined 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” - World Health Organisation

Types of abuse:

• physical abuse - slapping, hitting, pushing, kicking, misuse of medication, restraint or inappropriate sanctions
• sexual abuse - rape and sexual assault, or sexual acts to which the vulnerable person has not consented, or could not consent, or into which they were compelled to consent
• psychological abuse - emotional abuse, threats of harm or abandonment, deprivation of contact, humiliation, blaming, controlling, intimidation, coercion, harassment, verbal abuse, isolation, or withdrawal from services or supportive networks
• financial or material abuse - theft, fraud, exploitation; pressure in connection with wills, property, inheritance or financial transactions; or the misuse or misappropriation of property, possessions or benefits
• institutional abuse - may occur in residential care or acute settings, may involve poor standards of care, rigid routines or inadequate responses to complex needs.
• neglect and acts of omission include ignoring medical or physical care needs, failure to provide access to appropriate health, social or educational services, the withholding of the necessities of life such as medication, adequate nutrition and/or heating
• discriminatory abuse - ageism, racism, sexism, based on a person’s disability and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment