Abuse of elderly people is on the increase and more needs to be done to tackle this hidden problem, the Commissioner for Mental Health and Older Persons, John Cachia, believes.

“We don’t know the size of the problem... All I know is that when a child turns up at Casualty with a cigarette burn the whole police force turns up, but if an elderly woman turns up in a clear case of neglect, nobody bats an eyelid,” he said.

We don’t know the size of the problem

He was speaking during the unveiling of an EU-funded research project on violence in Malta, which will be carried out by the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality.

The project will look into violence on elderly people, among other forms of violence.

Mr Cachia referred to a story published in The Sunday Times of Malta where a financial adviser explained how he recently came across three cases of elderly abuse at his office over a short period.

In all three cases the elderly clients, all men, had fallen victim to people who preyed on their need for care and affection.

The adviser spoke about the importance for clear procedures to be put in place for financial institutions to report cases of abuse.

Mr Cachia said cases of abuse, including of the financial kind, were on the rise but the magnitude of the problem remained unknown.

He said his office was committed to working towards introducing legislation that would protect the elderly. The Mental Capacity Act, which is in the pipeline, would protect vulnerable people from financial abuse.

Mr Gatt echoed the concerns that had been raised by Victim Support Malta director Roberta Lepre who said the NGO had noticed an increase in the number of cases of elderly abuse and worked to create awareness on the matter.

Social worker Maria Camilleri, who has been working with old people for two decades, had also voiced concern that elderly abuse was on the increase and laws were urgently needed to address the situation. One of the main areas of concern was financial abuse, she said.

The former parliamentary secretary for the elderly, Franco Mercieca, had said the government recognised this growing problem and planned amendments to the civil code to protect vulnerable groups from abuse in cases of power of attorney.

Changes to the criminal code will include harsher penalties and specific reference to elderly people. A law dealing with incapacity of mind will also be drawn up, he said.