Hourglass Scotland Launches 24/7 Elder Abuse Helpline and Urgently Seeks Funding

That the Parliament acknowledges that Hourglass Scotland has launched what, it understands, is the first 24/7 helpline dedicated to helping older victims of abuse and the services that support them; notes the calls by Hourglass on care homes, GP surgeries, the police, and other charities who support and care for older people, to promote the helpline and bring the issue out into the open; understands that Hourglass, which was previously known as Action on Elder Abuse, has nearly 30 years' experience and that it is the only charity in Scotland that is focused on tackling the abuse and neglect of older people; further understands that the charity is launching the first 24/7 helpline in the UK as part of a major push to bring the “hidden epidemic” of abuse experienced by older people out into the open and to get victims the support that they need; believes that the helpline is moving to a 24/7 operation thanks to funding from the UK Home Office; understands, however, that these funds are limited to England, while the Scottish line is covered through the charity’s own small reserves; notes that the charity is looking for urgent funds to underpin the service in Scotland, and acknowledges the calls on the Scottish Government for funds to ensure that what it sees as this essential service is sustainable in Scotland; highlights that as many as 2.7 million people are thought to be affected by the abuse of older people in the UK, with upwards of 225,000 victims in Scotland, yet new data from the charity’s helpline shows that only a fraction of those victims (0.2%) are using the helpline to access specialist support from Hourglass; believes that 28% of people who sought help in 2021 did so outside of office hours, which spotlighted the requirement for a 24/7 service; acknowledges reports that the COVID-19 pandemic has increased social isolation, the social care crisis, a stretched criminal justice system, plus a lack of public awareness, all of which, it considers, have contributed to unacceptable levels of abuse being experienced by older people; believes that this very much remains in the shadows even though it affects millions of people, and highlights what it sees as the necessity to bring this abuse out into the open and to support older people who are experiencing abuse to access the help that they desperately need.