THOUSANDS of elderly people are estimated to be victims of abuse in Glasgow, the Evening Times can reveal.

However, a charity set up to help OAPs who have been abused says this is just the tip of the iceberg, and there could be thousands more victims who are staying silent.

Action on Elder Abuse Scotland has estimated around 8 per cent of the 82,000 pensioners in the city have been victims of abuse - around 6400 people.

However the charity’s director Lesley Carcary said she suspects the true figure is probably much higher as there is generally under reporting of abuse by victims.

It comes after the Evening Times revealed a care home worker was struck off for making inappropriate remarks to vulnerable residents suffering from dementia, and put them at risk.

The woman commented on her colleagues’ sexuality, threatened other members of staff, and failed to treat residents with dignity.

Charity director Lesley said often elderly people are not believed when they do pluck up the courage to report abuse if they suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s, while others tolerate abuse for fear of becoming isolated if they speak out.

Lesley explained: “People are just terrified to speak out about it.

“A lot of older people are just very lonely and a lot of times the person who is abusing them is actually a relative, or someone known to them.

“If it’s a family member they might think if they report them they will lose social contact with them. “As a lot of older people are so lonely anyway they will sometimes choose to put up with it.”

The most common forms of abuse of the elderly, according to the charity, is financial and psychological abuse, with other OAPs experiencing sexual and physical abuse as well as neglect.

As a result of trauma, the victim is often affected physically and emotionally.

Lesley said: “If they experience something traumatic at an elderly age, it can affect the physical health. It takes a tumble and then they are affected emotionally again and it’s a very vicious circle.”

In some cases, Lesley explained, the loneliness and isolation often experienced by the elderly puts them at risk, and is often a motivator for keeping abuse secret.

She said: “A while ago lots of councils gave out phone call blockers to pensioners to stop them from receiving nuisance calls.

"However many of them were handed back.

"People would rather get phone calls from scammers than not speak to anyone for weeks."

The charity is planning to launch their Elder abuse: Let’s make it a Crime campaign next month, calling for the abuse of the elderly to be considered a crime and prosecuted in its own right.

If anyone is a victim of abuse, or is concerned that someone they know may be being abused, contact Action on Elder Abuse’s dedicated helpline on 080 8808 8141, or Police Scotland on 101.