30 Years Anniversary of Safeguarding

 

Hourglass (Safer Ageing) is the only UK-wide charity supporting older victim-survivors of abuse. Originally constituted as Action on Elder Abuse, the charity was founded in 1993 with discussions about the need for such an organisation underway as early as ten years previously.

The overarching principle of the charity is that older people experience the same forms of harm and abuse as all other demographics, including financial/economic, physical, sexual and psychological abuse as well as neglect and discrimination. The organisation seeks to protect and support older people at such times of need.

 

In 1993, Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) was founded and launched by Professor Gerry Bennett, a pioneering and forward-thinking geriatrician who devoted his professional and personal life to the care of older people. He was joined by Paul Kingston and Bridget Penhale in shaping the charity’s mission. Also heavily involved from the start was Sally Greengross, who in 1993 was Director of Age Concern England. Sally, who became Baroness Greengross of Notting Hill, saw the need for a charity that specialised in supporting older victim-survivors of abuse and served as its Patron until her death in June 2022.

 

The charity was the first and still remains the only organisation of its kind in the UK focused exclusively on working to protect and prevent abuse and violence against older adults. The organisation’s aim was to challenge the abuse of older people, and influence the experience of other adults at risk of abuse, by raising awareness, seeking to raise standards of care, influencing the development of health and social care policy, providing training, and working with the media.