An Garda Síochána are showing our support for World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by raising awareness of abuse of older people. This abuse can take many forms, any or all of which may be carried out as a result of deliberate intent, negligence or ignorance.
Don’t Turn Your Back Campaign
In support of World Elder Abuse Day, An Garda Síochána is launching a “Don’t Turn Your Back” campaign on 15th June 2022.
It is important to be mindful that Elder Abuse is not always visible or obvious. There are several forms of abuse, any or all of which may be carried out as the result of deliberate intent, negligence or ignorance.
• Physical
• Psychological
• Financial
• Sexual
• Neglect
• Discrimination
Abuse of an Older Person
• There are different types of abuse of an older person. They may be carried out deliberately, or through negligence (not doing what it is your duty to do) or ignorance (not knowing something you should know). An older person may experience more than one form of abuse at any given time.
Physical Abuse
• Physical Abuse may take the form of having pain inflicted, being treated roughly leaving bruises or marks or being treated violently causing broken bones, sprains or other injuries.
• Psychological Abuse
• Psychological Abuse may take the form of being made to feel anxious, frightened or tearful, being made to feel insecure in your own home or being made to feel helpless or hopeless.
Financial Abuse
• Financial Abuse may take the form of feeling loss of control over your finances, being pressured to hand out money or allow access to your accounts, having your money spent on things other than food, bills, clothes etc. or someone has access to your accounts without permission.
Sexual Abuse
• Sexual Abuse may take the form of being forced to be intimate with someone without your consent.
Neglect
• Neglect may take the form of being left hungry or thirsty, not having clean, weather-appropriate clothing, being left alone for long periods when you cannot move around unaided, experiencing discomfort if bed or chair bound or being denied access to glasses, dentures etc.
Discriminatory Abuse
• Discriminatory Abuse can take the form of ageism, racism, sexism, that based on a person’s disability, and other forms of harassment, slurs or similar treatment.
Report Abuse of an Older Person
• Call or visit your local Garda station
• Call Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111
• Contact the HSE National Safeguarding Office: email safeguarding.socialcare@hse.ie or call 061 461165
• In an emergency call 999 or 112
Staying Safe in the Sun ☀
As we head into the summer months, I hope you'll keep your skin's health — present and future — in mind. Use these seven tips to stay safe in the sun.
1. Wear protective clothing. If possible, wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and hats. Hats with wide brims not only cover your face, but they also protect other easy-to-forget spots like your ears and your scalp.
2. Make sunglasses your favourite accessory. Sunglasses shield your eyes from UV rays that can cause eye problems, like cataracts. Pricey sunglasses don't guarantee better protection. Look for a pair that says it blocks 99% or 100% of UVB and UVA rays.
3. Limit your sun time, especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. That's when the sun's rays are at their strongest. Plan your outdoor activities early in the morning or later in the afternoon. You can also find or create shade during those hours. At the park? Sit under a tree. At the beach? Bring a beach umbrella. Just a regular day? Plan indoor lunch breaks or schedule nap times during those hours.
4. Use sunscreen and use it right. UV rays can damage your skin in as little as 15 minutes. To protect your skin, put sunscreen on every part of your body that will be exposed to the sun at least 15 minutes before going outside, even if it's cloudy out. Sunscreen is most effective when used with other sun protection methods, like those mentioned above.
When choosing sunscreen, pick one with at least SPF 15 and that offers broad-spectrum protection from both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays. One coat of sunscreen doesn't last all day. You need to reapply sunscreen every two hours, and don't forget to put it on your hands and feet and to reapply after swimming or sweating.
5. Say no to tanning. There's no such thing as a safe tan, whether you're inside or outside. It's a myth that indoor tanning is a safer alternative to sun tanning. Tanning beds, tanning booths, and sunlamps expose you to intense UV radiation, which increases your risk of skin cancer and skin damage.
6. Give up the vitamin D excuse. Tanning isn't a safe way to get vitamin D. If you're concerned about your vitamin D levels, talk to your doctor about the sources that are best for you.
7. Get to know your skin. Skin cancer is easier to treat when caught early, so get to know your skin and watch for changes. Look for new skin markings, like moles, bumps, scaly spots, or places where your skin has changed color. Watch moles for changes in size, texture, color, or shape. Take note if a mole has uneven edges, differences in color, or one half that is different than the other. You can also watch for moles, sores, or growths that continue to bleed, won't heal, or look different from any other growth you may have. Talk to your doctor if you notice any of these changes.
And don't forget to keep the kids safe in the sun. All of these tips are important for them, including hats and sunglasses. Just as sun damage to our skin starts when we are young, so can safe sun habits.
Why not embrace your natural skin tone this summer? No amount of tanning will ever actually change your skin tone, so try finding new ways to feel good about you. A new lipstick or blouse that compliments your skin can work wonders for brightening up your look. Love your skin this season and all year long by taking steps to protect it, and share this blog post with your friends, family, and coworkers. The battle against skin damage is year-round.
The Employee of the Quarter Program recognizes the outstanding qualities and contributions of employees, we are delighted to announce the winners for Summer 2022.
Some absolute legends here. Hard-working, caring, passionate about their work and most of all loved by the people they care for. Super work guys!
Limerick
Kehinde Akintola
South
Adrian Ryder
Dublin
Kafilat Ajani
DNE
Esther Mese
Carers Week 💙
National Carers Week 2022, taking place from Monday the 13th to Sunday the 19th of June. Carers Week is all about highlighting and supporting the work that family carers do. This year's theme is 'Making Caring Visible'.
Carers Week Competition Winners 💙
For Carers Week 2022 we ran a daily competition over on our Facebook community page for our Carers with the daily chance to win a €100 One-For-All voucher.
Congratulations to all our winners!
Refer A Friend 👩🏻🤝👩🏻
We have a referral scheme in operation – if you refer a Nurse to us and they are activated - a fee of €500 will be awarded to the referrer (when the nurse has worked 120 hours with us)
