Samenvatting

This survey covers the Dutch Health Department’s policy against elder abuse, which is described in the program Actieplan ‘Ouderen in veilige handen’. Elder abuse can involve physical and/or psychological violence, but also negligence and financial abuse. To combat elder abuse it is crucial to create a climate in which the problem can be discussed openly. Also various actors on the regional and local level in society should be involved to prevent and tackle the problem. Homecare services and other social workers have been trained to signal elder abuse and provide help when the burden for informal caregivers becomes too heavy.