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Informal carers overloaded, ‘elder abuse lurks’

“Due to the aging population in the Netherlands and staff shortages in care, more care is being placed on the shoulders of informal carers,” says MantelzorgNL, an association that stands up for people who care for a loved one. “This also increases the risk of overloaded and derailed informal care.”


This can lead to undesirable situations. MantelzorgNL mentions hiding mail as examples because it may make someone restless. It also happens that people are strapped to a chair, ‘so that the person with dementia cannot cause accidents if he remains at home alone while the carer quickly does some shopping’.

No malicious intent

MantelzorgNL wants healthcare professionals to be able to identify faster when things go wrong. The informal carers often have no malicious intent, but there is ignorance and powerlessness.

The organization expects that the number of crisis admissions to mental health care and nursing homes will increase as a result of informal caregivers who are no longer able to cope with their tasks.


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