Protecting Vulnerable Adults from Abuse (Safeguarding)

[diana]

think it might have been a reference to some rather extreme "advice" given in response to my original post on my mother is wearing me out.dont worry havent taken it! think postee probably at end of own tether think definition of vulnerable adult will be useful in ongoing struggle with ss

[Matt Hill]

Please read the post here about abuse of vulnerable adults.
viewtopic.php?f=38&t=24167&start=60

[caj9]

Unsure where to post.

I have read many threads and posts and have felt liberated. In the sense people think/feel as I do.

What is vulnerability?

I can define my own, because I deal in 3's - It limits , so I can think:
1. Naivety - believing things will be ok!
2.Lack of assertion - hopeless, dealing with authority, officialdom
3.Idealism - believing in change.

Now my mum:
1. Lack of mobility.
2. Fear.
3. Reliance!


Can I ask what other folk think/believe/feel.

Thank you for being here at all!

[bowlingbun]

I'm sure that there must be a legal definition, as SSD have a duty to protect vulnerable adults, but what you've said sounds good to me - my mum is about the same as yours. Mine is mentally fine, she doesn't have dementia, but she is so timid that she "wouldn't want to make a fuss" and would therefore never disagree with anyone. So she sends me to do her dirty work instead. Sometimes, I think my middle name should be Attila the Hun. Those of you who know my surname will (I hope) appreciate the humour even more!

[rosemary]

Not sure if this will help

[quote]The broad definition of a vulnerable adult is ]

http://www.ssiacymru.org.uk/home.php?page_id=3014

[hillside205]

I would add that abuse can also be committed by any bureaucracy, and by anyone who works in it; e.g. something like a social services department, with perpetrators being from junior social workers to senior managers.

By not paying attention to detailed procedures, and making judgements not suitable to the individual, all the designated forms of abuse can occur. That then becomes the most insidious kind of abuse - institutionalised.

[Janet_1409]

I've had direct experience of trying to use safeguarding procedures in my job, as I'm a support worker with the elderly and I've found it a frustrating waste of time. Social Services in my area (and probably most others) are so over-stretched that they will happily do the bare minimum and pass the buck, they don't follow things up and monitor vulnerable people without you hounding them and giving them an almighty kick up the behind.

I had one elderly gent who was being financially abused by so-called "friends" that visited him on an evening, using his flat as a place to get drunk and cause a nuisance. I long suspected what was happening but didn't have any evidence, and the poor old gent wouldn't say anything against these people. I asked for a safeguarding assessment, and someone came out and said that because they deemed him to have " mental capacity" and he didn't wish to say anything about what was happening, there was nothing they could do. I would dispute that he had capacity at all - he was 90 and had dementia, and to me they were just wanting to brush it off to save themselves potentially a lot of work. He had no family to speak up for him so it was easy for these people to continue taking advantage. A doctor was never asked to give an opinion on whether the chap had capacity. His carers who drew his pension and paid his bills later reported concerns that money seemed to be going missing - they'd draw his money, he'd have plenty and then two days later it was all gone, which was suspicious for a man who was housebound and never went anywhere. Once again I reported it and the same thing happened. In the end the problem sorted itself out as he became ill and unable to manage at home so had to go into residential care. It was so frustrating knowing that he was being taken advantage of and that no one was prepared do do anything about it.

I had a similar experience with another chap with learning disabilities, who did speak out about the people who were taking money off him, but once again they didn't do much about it, as he said he didn't want to report it to the police as he was (understandably) scared what might happen. I tried to refer him to a specialist learning disabilities social work team for ongoing support but because he didn't have a "formal diagnosis" of learning difficulties despite it being obvious and him saying his doctor said he had, they wouldn't take him. He eventually moved away from my area in a bid to get away from the people concerned, which if the safeguarding procedure had worked properly, he shouldn't have had to.

All in all, I've not had good experience with safeguarding and I hope not all social services departments are that ineffective.

I would

[MumWhoCares]

I've had direct experience of trying to use safeguarding procedures in my job, as I'm a support worker with the elderly and I've found it a frustrating waste of time. Social Services in my area (and probably most others) are so over-stretched that they will happily do the bare minimum and pass the buck, they don't follow things up and monitor vulnerable people without you hounding them and giving them an almighty kick up the behind.

I had one elderly gent who was being financially abused by so-called "friends" that visited him on an evening, using his flat as a place to get drunk and cause a nuisance. I long suspected what was happening but didn't have any evidence, and the poor old gent wouldn't say anything against these people. I asked for a safeguarding assessment, and someone came out and said that because they deemed him to have " mental capacity" and he didn't wish to say anything about what was happening, there was nothing they could do. I would dispute that he had capacity at all - he was 90 and had dementia, and to me they were just wanting to brush it off to save themselves potentially a lot of work. He had no family to speak up for him so it was easy for these people to continue taking advantage. A doctor was never asked to give an opinion on whether the chap had capacity. His carers who drew his pension and paid his bills later reported concerns that money seemed to be going missing - they'd draw his money, he'd have plenty and then two days later it was all gone, which was suspicious for a man who was housebound and never went anywhere. Once again I reported it and the same thing happened. In the end the problem sorted itself out as he became ill and unable to manage at home so had to go into residential care. It was so frustrating knowing that he was being taken advantage of and that no one was prepared do do anything about it.

I had a similar experience with another chap with learning disabilities, who did speak out about the people who were taking money off him, but once again they didn't do much about it, as he said he didn't want to report it to the police as he was (understandably) scared what might happen. I tried to refer him to a specialist learning disabilities social work team for ongoing support but because he didn't have a "formal diagnosis" of learning difficulties despite it being obvious and him saying his doctor said he had, they wouldn't take him. He eventually moved away from my area in a bid to get away from the people concerned, which if the safeguarding procedure had worked properly, he shouldn't have had to.

All in all, I've not had good experience with safeguarding and I hope not all social services departments are that ineffective.

I would

Gosh, that second example sounds just like my step-brother, Janet, I offered to fight on his behalf but he didn't want me to and no-one else was willing to so very little actually got done. He lost well over a thousand pounds (possibly more), all under the noses of two support workers, it seems, but nothing was done and they moved him, but only five miles away so the same people are still hassling him and he's still buying people lunches and lending them money that they never get back.

I do understand that there's a lack of resources, staff shortages and so on, but I do question why people work in those sort of jobs (social care, health care etc) if their only concern is shifting problems from one person's desk to another. Very depressing

[Richard_1601]

Hi all..
Office of public guardian role is protecting people at risk of abuse or neglect. This includes investigating suspected abuse by deputies and attorneys appointed under registered lasting powers of attorney .
Many adults over the age of 18 rely on other people to help them in their day to day living. This may be due to illness, disability. They may be at risk from people they know such as a relative, friend, neighbour or paid carer, or, less frequently, by a stranger.

If you are going through this situation, please do not ignore it. You should consult a person who can look into this matter and protect you.

edited to remove commercial link