Age Concern head Claudette Fleming is calling for a Seniors' Protection Act modelled after a similar one for children to counter rising abuse of the elderly.

Ms. Fleming said seniors could end sitting in squalor while squabbling siblings fought lengthy legal battles.

She said she had seen four or five such cases in her short time as executive director and said the law needed to help relatives care for infirm seniors.

"I don't think a child would sit in such a situation of abuse for a considerable amount of time before it got fixed,'' she said. "They would have social workers to get the facts, to determine what needs to be done or to at least monitor the situation. Surely those things are considered urgent? "But they are not protected -- we need an elderly protection act just like the Child Protection Act.'' Such a law would make it mandatory for professionals who suspect elderly abuse to report their fears to social workers said Ms. Fleming.

And she said emergency orders should be granted allowing seniors at risk to be pulled out of unsafe homes.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome said legislation to protect seniors in danger was a possibility.

He said: "When it comes to special cases there needs to be special protection so they are not left stranded and abandoned. We work along with Age Concern, if they see special areas that need to be covered by legislation -- then there could be some provision made. But on the whole for the average senior they have the same protection the average citizen gets.'' Ms. Fleming said elderly people with Alzheimer's disease could be just as vulnerable as children.

One such sufferer in her seventies had been living in a filth and faeces strewn flat before a kindly sister won power of attorney from her sibling, said Ms. Fleming. She added that the abuse could have continued if that sister hadn't intervened and it was time social services took an active role in clamping down on abuse of seniors.

"The families don't know where to turn, who do you go to? They should get case workers.'' Protecting the elderly And she said family battles over custody of elders were expensive and exhausting for all.

Now the pensioner is being cared for 24 hours a day by the sister.

Ms. Fleming said: "If she tires herself, her mother will have no one.

"There is no follow up once they get the power of attorney.

"You don't know if the wishes of the court are being carried out. Are they getting the care they need? Is the money being used to the person's best interest? When people get the power of attorney there are no legal teeth, no structure to support those people.'' "Those caring for infirm and confused relatives need a lot of back up to ensure they don't become exhausted by the process. If they are not coping there's no way we would know -- that would be unacceptable for a child and it should be unacceptable for an infirm adult,'' she added.

"There is respite care but whether it is affordable is another question.

"The older persons needs are not being monitored. There's no community social worker to liaise with.'' She said input from social services was currently limited to assessing what financial assistance was needed.

In the meantime Ms. Fleming added that Age Concern was at hand.

She said: "Concerned family members should know that they aren't alone and that their concerns are being heard by us.''