Older People Support

Older People aged 59+ are more likely to experience abuse from an adult family member or partner than those under this age and they are often underrepresented in a lot of services. People tend to think of victim-survivors of domestic abuse as young women, often with young children, but Age UK is seeing an increased number of older people telling them they have been subjected to Domestic Abuse. The older generation are more likely to be abused by an adult child or a grandchild, which means older men can also be victims.

Older victims may live with abuse for many years before getting help and this could mean that the abuse has become normalised, and it will take them longer to leave an abusive situation. It can take longer for older victims to get the right support because they may not be able to get out as easily, do not have anywhere safe to go, do not have access to a mobile phone or technology and are experiencing more isolation than younger people. This may be exacerbated by the fact the perpetrator may also be their carer as older people are more likely to have a disability or other complex health needs.

Older people experiencing abuse from a family member can be less likely to report the abuse to the authorities or seek help as they still love their family member. They may be worried about being left alone as they get older. If they have savings or a home of their own it could mean they are not eligible for some benefits/legal aid/housing support and then face extra financial hardship.

The Office for National Statistics has recognised this issue. They agreed that there should be no upper age limit on who they asked about domestic abuse and started asking women and men of all ages whether they had been subjected to domestic abuse in their Crime Survey for England and Wales. Previously they had only asked people who were aged up to 74; there is now no upper age limit. This is a significant step forward in understanding the prevalence of abuse in older populations.

At Valley House we can be very flexible in how we provide support to older people. Our accommodation can accommodate carers and disabilities and we work closely with other agencies such as Age UK, housing and Social Care. By working together, we can achieve better outcomes and help more older victims of Domestic Abuse to live a safer and independent life. We can also offer support to access benefits and carer support for older people. We can tailor support to meet the needs of older people and identify the most appropriate accommodation.

Valley House works in partnership across the city with a range of other suitable services for older people and attends events across the city to identify and access the latest support options, such as Extra Care and Good Neighbours befriending services. We also offer support with access to different activities going on, such as Poetry Café, reading groups, knitting groups, Friendship groups and a Veterans Café.

By promoting awareness of abuse among older people, Valley House can encourage all older people to speak up and seek support. Our staff are trained on the needs of older people, including benefits available to them and housing options, and staff are able to explore alternative solutions with older people. At Valley House we continually work to provide the highest domestic abuse support service to older people and improve our services for them.

Here are some tips for older people to stay connected in the community:

• Your local Age UK may run social events, lunch clubs or exercise groups for older people or know of local activities you could join. Age UK also has friendship centres that organise activities such as lunches, outings, walks and bowling. Call 0800 169 6565 or visit ageuk.org.uk to find out what’s available in your area.
• Age UK Advice Line – 0800 678 1602