Vince Cable

Vincent Cable, MP, has backed a Help the Aged campaign to highlight the prevalence of elder abuse. The national charity is concerned at growing evidence that elderly people, both in residential homes, hospitals and at home, are subject to a large amount of abuse and, sometimes, violence.

Vincent Cable said: "There is now a great deal of public awareness of child abuse and, where this is identified, the police and social services departments are able to intervene strongly. But elderly people are often equally helpless and I have, in the past, had a worrying level of complaints about abusive behaviour in hospitals and residential homes".

"Many are dependent on long term family carers who can find themselves under considerable physical and emotional stress. That is why respite centres, like Homelink in Whitton are so vital"