Safeguarding Adults Awareness Week: Respect and Protect

01/06/2012

The Western Local Adult Safeguarding Partnership (LASP) is raising the awareness of safeguarding our Vulnerable Adults  by organising awareness events across the Western area to coincide with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June 2012.

It goes without saying that we would expect to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of social circumstances or the state of our health.  However, some adults are being mistreated - often at the hands of people they love and trust and we urge people to report incidents of abuse or neglect.

  • 11 June 2012 in New Horizons, Enniskillen;
  • 13 June 2012 in Conference Room, Library, Omagh;
  • 15 June 2012 in Waterfoot Hotel, Londonderry.

Each event will run from 10am - 12pm including a range of speakers including stands:

  • Domestic Violence Helpline
  • Victim Support
  • New Horizon “Action Mental Health”
  • Western Trust
  • Alzheimer’s Society

Staff from across the LASP will be available handing out leaflets and talking to people about what to do if they suspect neglect.

This is being targeted at the Public but we will have local MP’s, MLAs, Councillors attending and a press release is being issued to all Newspapers, Local Radio, District Councils and Parish Bulletins.

In recent years there has been an increase in reporting of adult abuse cases and this is a consequence of both increased awareness and action by regulators, care providers and adult protection staff but we continue to address less than one tenth of elder abuse and probably much less.

We would be delighted for anyone with an interest in safeguarding vulnerable adults to join us at any of these events. Please register by email: Julie.woods@westhealth.n-i.nhs.uk or by telephone (028) 6638 2060.