Liz Lynne and Euro MPs press EU Commissioner Lazlo Andor on elder abuse and long term care

6.37.29pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 14th May 2010

Liz Lynne has welcomed signs that the European Commission is considering a green paper on measures to tackle the abuse of old people

Lib Dem Euro MP Liz Lynne has demanded more action to protect elderly people in long term care at a cross party meeting between MEPs and Employment and Social Affairs Commissioner Laszlo Andor in Brussels.

The purpose of the meeting of the Parliament's Age Intergroup yesterday was for MEPs with a special interest on age issues to quiz the Commissioner directly about issues affecting older people across the European Union.

Liz Lynne, MEP for the West Midlands Region, is Vice President of the Employment and Social Affairs committee and co chair of the Parliament's all party Age Intergroup. She said:

"It is scandalous that so many older people receive such appalling levels of care and for abuse of older people to be so widespread, which is why I was pleased to be able to raise these issues directly with the Commissioner."

"I am delighted the Commissioner hinted at a future EU green paper on elder abuse and that work is underway to produce a working paper on long term care.

"For too long, Member States and the European Union Institutions have failed to adequately address these pressing human rights issues.

"I hope we can now move towards guidelines on a code of conduct that Member States can sign up to on minimum quality standards in long term care. This is a question of human rights."

ENDS