Senior citizens and family members were told at a Seniors Abuse Information session that it is their responsibility to report any form of abuse.

Then, under new laws, anyone who is found guilty of senior abuse could be fined up to $10,000, issued a prison sentence or both. The Senior Abuse Register Act was passed into law last month and sets up a register of offenders who have inflicted any form of abuse on a senior.

This new law could protect many seniors who find themselves in a similar predicament as that of the "Auntie Em" case which was revealed by The Royal Gazette last September, where 95-year-old Wilhelmina Liburd was reported to have been living in horrific conditions.

Policy analyst John Payne outlined the procedures at the Anglican Cathedral Hall on Tuesday, in reporting senior abuse and the repercussions for the offenders. He told the attendees of the four types of abuse: physical, sexual, emotional and financial and gave examples of each.

He said: "Any one who is found guilty of any form of elder abuse will be placed on a register which will ban them from working with seniors, in any form for a minimum of three years. This includes those who own any senior establishment — they will have to relinquish their rights of ownership — no exceptions.

"After that three-year period is up, the person can then apply to have the ban lifted. The request is then reviewed by a committee but is not a guarantee that it will be honoured."

The law also applies to any government establishment reinforcing the portion of the law, which states 'This Act binds the Crown'. He pointed out that the names on the register are confidential and will only be released in a need-to-know situation.

"The law is intended to protect seniors' identity which may sometimes mean protecting the offenders if revealing the offenders identity runs the risk of identifying the victim," he added.