ABUSE OF THE ELDERLY

That this House notes with concern the report by Action on Elder Abuse, funded by the Government, and its conclusion that as many as 342,000 people may have been victims of various forms of abuse; is concerned that the expense of long-term care means that some elderly people may have been kept at home by family members when they might be better cared for in a residential setting; believes that high quality and free residential care should be available for all who would wish to choose it and for whom it is appropriate; and therefore calls on the Government to implement the recommendation of the Royal Commission on Long-term Care in its 1999 report With Respect to Old Age.