Vol. 526 No. 4
275 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children if he has established an up-to-date register for older people who may be at risk in order to facilitate strategies to minimise disability and dependence amongst the elderly. [26957/00]
The Years Ahead – A Policy for the Elderly, 1988, recommended that health boards maintain registers of elderly people at medical or social risk in their areas. The health boards have informed my Department that public health nurses maintain lists of vulnerable older people in their areas; in addition some boards have developed strategies to identify older people at risk.
Following the publication in 1998 by the National Council on Ageing and Older People of a report entitled Abuse, Neglect and Mistreatment of Older People: An Exploratory Study, I established a broad-based working group, as recommended in the report, to advise on the formulation of procedures and guidelines on elder abuse. The working group has prepared draft policies, procedures and guidelines for the detection, assessment and management of elder abuse. When the working group makes its final report and recommendations to me, I will give immediate consideration to its recommendations.
