SNP Leadership contenders asked to commit to Safer Ageing in Scotland

Hourglass (Safer Ageing) calls on the SNP leadership contenders to support safer ageing

Hourglass has asked the three contenders for the Scottish National Party leadership to commit to safer ageing and to support older victim-survivors of abuse.

Older people are at risk of becoming victims of physical, financial, sexual or psychological abuse. Many others suffer abuse due to simple neglect. Older people are much less likely to report abuse and when they do the experience can be traumatic.

At present, insufficient data is collected on abuse of older people in Scotland. This lack of information is one reason this issue does not get the attention or resources it desperately needs.

Hourglass have called on the three leadership contenders Kate Forbes, Ash Regan and Humza Yousaf to commit to the following actions if they become the Scottish First Minister:

1.            Collecting all relevant data on the abuse of older people.
2.            Develop a safer ageing strategy for Scotland
3.            Host a Safer Ageing forum with Hourglass at Holyrood later this year. 

Richard Robinson, CEO of Hourglass said: “The Scottish Government need to take action to prevent abuse of older people.

“The first step is to collect the data on reported abuse. The second is to develop a safer ageing strategy which will outline how the Scottish Government intend to tackle this problem. Thirdly, this is an issue that is seldom talked about. We need the Scottish Government to work with us to raise awareness of this issue.

“Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is the only charity in Scotland that specialises in supporting older victims of abuse. We have nearly 30 years of working in Scotland and throughout the UK and Ireland, where we have continued to see an increase in demand for our services.”

George Foulkes, Hourglass Patron said: “We have an ageing population and the next First Minister of Scotland needs to be to take this seriously.

“The Scottish Government need a safer ageing strategy to protect older people from abuse and neglect.”

The charity is urging those keen to support the charity to make a donation by visiting https://wearehourglass.org/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10.

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If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.