Increase in Reports of Elder Abuse and Neglect during COVID-19 Pandemic

36 Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked the Minister for Social and Family Development (a) whether there has been an increase in the number of reports of elder abuse and neglect over the COVID-19 pandemic period; and (b) what are the additional measures and resources that the Ministry has put in place to safeguard the safety and wellness of such vulnerable seniors.

The Minister of State for Social and Family Development (Ms Sun Xueling) (for the Minister for Social and Family Development): There has been an increase in the number of cases with elder abuse as the primary presenting issue in Family Service Centres (FSCs), from 232 cases in 2019, to 283 cases in 2020 and 338 cases in 2021. Abuse, neglect or self-neglect cases that are higher risk in nature are typically taken up by MSF's Adult Protective Service, or APS, or by community-based Family Violence Specialist Centres (FVSCs) and PAVE Integrated Services for Individual and Family Protection Specialist Centre (ISIFPSC). The number of such cases taken on by these organisations did not increase.

Cases involving vulnerable adults aged 65 and above investigated by APS during the COVID-19 period also did not increase. There were 127 cases in 2019, 96 cases in 2020 and 120 cases in 2021. New cases taken up by FVSCs and PAVE involving elder or vulnerable adult abuse decreased during this period. There were 85 cases in 2019, 71 cases in 2020 and 39 cases in the first nine months of 2021.

MSF stepped up efforts to raise greater awareness of elder abuse and neglect, including through the public education efforts held in conjunction with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on 15 June each year. These efforts were targeted at the elderly, their caregivers and those within their networks, such as neighbours, volunteers, grassroots leaders and community organisations, with the objective of increasing understanding and empathy for elder abuse survivors and encouraging early reporting and help-seeking behaviours. These public education efforts, which were part of MSF's "Break the Silence" campaign, sought to educate members of the public on what they should do if they encounter instances of family violence in general.

In addition, there was reduced visibility of these elders in the community during the pandemic, particularly during the 2020 circuit breaker period. During this time, APS and its partners increased the frequency of check-ins on the more vulnerable clients through a combination of telephone and video calls, and home visits for cases assessed to be more urgent or high-risk in nature. APS and its partners continue to do such house visits and checks on the elders through video calls, sometimes with the help of neighbours, to ensure that they remain safe and well.

MSF will continue to work closely with sector partners, hospitals, the Police and the Courts to detect cases of elder abuse, neglect and self-neglect to ensure elderly persons experiencing abuse and neglect receive timely help and support. Addressing family violence, including elder abuse, is a matter of public interest. Family violence should not be tolerated. MSF takes all abuse and neglect seriously and everyone has a role in keeping our seniors safe. We encourage members of the public to call the 24-hour National Anti-Violence Helpline at 1800-777-0000 if they know or suspect that an elderly person is being abused.

Mr Speaker: Ms Yeo Wan Ling.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol): I thank the Minister of State. I would like to ask, besides public education of our local community networks, would there also be other ways in which we will be engaging with local community networks or volunteers in terms of educating them so that they may also become a very active part of the wider safety nets that are provided and given to our seniors at risk?

Ms Sun Xueling: I thank the Member for her question. The awareness is important because we need to train community partners and volunteers to be able to identify the symptoms and signs where family abuse has occurred.

Another thing that can be done is to work on befriending the elderly. I understand that there are many community partners who are in the community who actively engage the elderly through a variety of activities, be they exercise or going for excursions, and all these are potential check-ins on the elderly to make sure that not only is their physical health healthy, their psychological and emotional health is healthy as well.