Tackling elder abuse: State intervention under Singapore's Vulnerable Adults Act

• Main Author: CHAN, Wing Cheong
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2019
• Subjects: Law and Society; Public Law and Legal Theory
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sol_research/2937; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/sol_research/article/4895/viewcontent/CALE_Discussion_PaperNo17.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Abuse and neglect of adults raise complex issues on the freedom of the individual to choose for themselves versus the powers of the State to intervene. The law has traditionally limited the scope of compulsory intervention to extreme situations only which can frustrate social workers who deal with such cases. On the other hand, it would be unacceptable to allow intervention simply because it is assessed to be in the adults' best interests. A balance therefore has to be struck between autonomy and protection. This paper examines how Singapore's Vulnerable Adults Act identifies the point for intervention and embodies safeguards to prevent abuse of the State's powers.