A SHOCKINGLY high level of elderly people are being abused or neglected.

Last year 225 allegations of abuse of elderly and vulnerable people were investigated by police and social services in Blackburn with Darwen.

And bosses at Age UK said they feared the number was just the tip of the iceberg.

The majority of cases investigated involved either physical abuse, neglect of care or financial abuse of victims.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has now introduced the specialist safeguarding team to deal with all adult abuse cases, including the elderly and those with learning difficulties.

The taskforce will work with organisations including the police and NHS to raise awareness and prevent further abuse happening.

Of the 225 reports investigated, many of which were said to have happened in the person’s own home by family members or in a residential service by professional carers, 75 allegations were substantiated.

David Kerambrum, adult social services director of operations and safeguarding, said around another third gave his unit “cause for concern,” but there was not enough evidence to press for a criminal prosecution.

Other cases did not provide a clear-cut guilty party, he said, for example someone who had come to the end of their tether caring for a dementia sufferer, who obviously needed support themself.

He said the new team had been established to help “shine a spotlight” on the abuse.

“It's a figure that is going up nationally,” he said. “Because of increased public awareness more and more allegations of abuse are being reported to the key agencies like adult social services and health colleagues.

“What we have done in Blackburn, which not every local authority has done, is taken the view that we need a special team to ensure a very high level of investigation and quality.”

The new team is made up of social services staff, recruited internally and externally, who will work closely with police officers A specialist team of 10 police officers operates in the public protection unit in Blackburn investigating attacks on vulnerable people.

Det Sgt Allen Davies said that the same principles apply to investigating a crime against a vulnerable elderly person as they do to a very young victim.

He said: "People should not think that a prosecution is not a possibility if a person is not aware of what has happened to them.

"We are a specialist unit that is dedicated to supporting and protecting vulnerable people and we want to encourage anyone with concerns to come forward.

"Some of our investigations can be quite complex but this issue is something that we take very seriously."

Vicky Shepherd, deputy chief officer at Age Concern in Blackburn, said she believes the true picture of elder abuse was much higher than the figures suggested.

She said: "This campaign has my full support because it helps to raise awareness and provides more ways for people to report incidents.

"Any abuse of older people is totally unacceptable, especially as the victims can often be among the most vulnerable in society.

"There are instances where people put their trust in others to look after them and that trust is abused.

"That behaviour cannot be allowed to go on unpunished."

Contact the safeguarding team in confidence on 01254 584589.