Leading the fight against      adult abuse

Need information or support?
Call our helpline     UK:   0808 808 8141
  ROI:    800 940 010  

About Us  |  Contact Us  

About us:

Action on Elder Abuse (AEA) is a specialist organisation that operates across the four nations of the United Kingdom.  It also provides support within Ireland.  Unlike other 'older people's organisations' we focus exclusively on the issue of elder abuse, not as one issue among many, but as a single focus to our work.  For this reason we have extensive expertise that is not available from any other charity or agency.

AEA was established in 1993 by a group of practitioners from health and social care, and by academics and representatives of the voluntary sector who were concerned about the lack of information and assistance for those who were abused or were at risk of abusing.  And today, we address abuse within people's own homes (whether by family, friends or paid staff), within sheltered housing, and within care homes and hospitals 

We are based in South London, but our staff and our activities take place across the four nations of the UK, and we undertake some limited activities in the Republic of Ireland too.

More Information:

One key way in which we address elder abuse is through our unique helpline, which provides information, advice and support to victims and others who are concerned about or have witnessed abuse.  This helpline is available Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, in both the UK and the Republic of Ireland (two separate numbers).  We also operate a specialist helpline for Southern Cross Healthcare, the biggest provider of residential care in the UK, as well as a pilot helpline in Essex that addresses the needs of all adults at risk of abuse.  And we provide a special advice service for the advocacy sector.  These helplines not only provide direct advice and help to people who may be in danger of experiencing abuse but they also provide unique information on the nature, circumstances and dynamics of elder abuse.

Our aims

Our Services

What are we doing

Some of our partners

Our Annual reports

We are a multi-disciplinary membership organisation, and our members are drawn from health and social care services, regulators, policy makers, academics, and members of the public, including older people, their families and friends.  We aim to prevent the abuse of older people by raising awareness; encouraging education; promoting research; and collecting and disseminating information.

We provide up-to-date information for our members through our Action Points newsletter; run conferences on elder abuse and related issues; give presentations to organisations, big and small; produce leaflets, resource materials and reports for practitioners and the public; and act as a resource for television, radio and the press.  In terms of staffing we may appear small but we have an effect substantially greater than our size.

We are funded exclusively through grants, donations, membership subscriptions and a 'friends scheme' whereby people make regular donations to our work.  All of our resources go toward challenging the scourge of elder abuse.