HUNDREDS of elderly people in Dorset are feared to be at risk from abuse and neglect, according to shock figures.

Around 300 allegations of abuse or neglect of people aged 65 or over are currently being investigated under Section 42 of the Care Act 2014 in Dorset.

These are investigations by the local authority where there is ‘reasonable cause’ to suspect abuse or neglect, or a risk of abuse or neglect.

There are more than 1,000 other ongoing safeguarding concerns, which may be being dealt with by other authorities, statistics from NHS Digital reveal.

More than 50 per cent of complaints involve care homes.

Di Lawrence, chief officer at Age UK Dorchester, said it’s an issue of high priority amongst those who work with the elderly.

She added: “I suspect there isn’t a massive amount of awareness amongst those who do not work with older people all the time but when you are dealing with older people, allegations and concerns do get flagged up a lot.

“I would say in Dorset we deal with a reasonable handful of cases. There’s definitely incidents going on.”

Women are more likely to be at risk, with 275 ongoing Section 42 enquiries in Dorset compared to 155 for men. People aged 85 to 94 are also more vulnerable, with 150 ongoing enquiries compared to 40 for the 65 to 74 bracket, 95 for 75 to 84 and 30 for 95 and over. NHS Digital said all figures have been rounded to the nearest five.

Neglect or acts of omission are the most likely cause for concern, followed by financial or material abuse, physical abuse and psychological abuse. More than 50 per cent of reported concerns in Dorset occur in care homes, with around 30 per cent in the elderly person’s own home, and a small proportion in hospitals or services in the community.

The rate of concerns in Dorset is below regional and national averages – and action is far more likely to be taken in the county than elsewhere. The figures show that, of completed enquiries, no action was taken in just four per cent of cases in Dorset, compared to 31 per cent in the south west and 21 per cent as a national average across England.

But with an ageing population – the number of over 85s is expected to increase by more than a third over the next decade – abuse of the elderly remains an area of concern.

Di Lawrence said: “The figures are, in a way, reassuringly low in Dorset compared to other areas, but we should never be complacent. Sometimes, sadly, the perpetrator may be a carer or relative. It’s the frustration of having to look after someone around the clock and that can be really hard. What we would say is if someone is struggling, they should contact their GP or local authority.”

There are other instances where an elderly person may realise they are being financially abused, Di Lawrence added, but not want to challenge the behaviour because they are so lonely.

“There are many different circumstances. It’s not always straightforward and it can be very complex. But if anyone does have concerns it is important to flag these up with authorities. You can contact the county council safeguarding team with a concern without it automatically escalating.

“If someone is in immediate danger or risk of danger, you should always contact the police.”