Virtual Event

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly – Keeping Older Adults Safe from Harm

Abuse is everyone’s business, and it can take many forms, but what can we do to help prevent elder abuse?

Event date June 23rd, 2025

Speaker: Andrew Wileman and Ali Thornton-Dean

Every year, more than a million older people are physically, emotionally, financially or sexually abused in the UK. This is a truly damning indictment of how our society views and values older people.

Since 2022 our ministry partners at the Salvation Army in the UK and Ireland have sought to shine a light on the horrifying realities of elder abuse and we pledge support to raise the profile and find solutions.

We believe it’s an important and local pastoral challenge that we cannot shy away from the subject or pretend it doesn’t exist. No-one wants to believe that their beloved mother, father, grandmother or grandfather could be abused by someone in a position of trust. But it happens every day.

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About the speaker

Andrew Wileman and Ali Thornton-Dean

The Salvation Army Older Peoples' Services Team

Andrew Wileman

Andrew is an Assistant Director for the Salvation Army Older People’s Services Team. He manages the work relating to people in later life in our Corps (Churches) and Centres across the UK and Ireland Territory that is provided by the Older People’s Ministries Team. Andrew is also the policy lead on Loneliness for The Salvation Army and has led the ‘No One Alone‘ project facilitating data, research and good practice.

Ali Thornton-Dean

Ali is the Territorial Outreach Mission Partner for the Salvation Army’s Older People’s Services Team. Ali writes, teaches and trains local Church leaders throughout the UK & Ireland in implementing new ways of working with older adults. Ali has worked for the Salvation Army since 2016 supporting various Teams with ministry around Retirement, Dementia and End of Life.