Elder abuse - the forgotten factor?

LAST MONDAY we commemorated International Elders Day. The National Secretariat for Elders organised a number of programmes throughout the day to create an awareness among the public regarding the social and economic problems faced by the elder population.

These events are good and deserve appreciation. Yet, I believe, the Secretariat has not yet given enough attention to one of the more serious problems faced by our elder population: the growing risk of elder abuse.

Ask Legal Aid Commission and they will cite the innumerable cases of elders, some subjected to cruel treatment, who have sought their help. It seems that our Elders Rights Law has not legally recognised the right of the elders to be protected from abuse.

Currently 10 per cent of our population are elders and it is calculated in 20 years the amount would grow up to 23 per cent. This places Sri Lanka in the map as the country with most rapidly growing elder population.

Elder abuse takes many forms and occurs both in the home and in institutions. Physical and psychological abuse may be the most obvious, though the problem of financial abuse can be equally devastating and much less apparent to third parties.

The scope of the problem in Sri Lanka is difficult to measure because of the lack of a standardised reporting system. But it is estimated that between four and six per cent of our elderly have experienced some form of abuse at home.

The incidence of abuse is thought to be much higher in institutions. A sample survey done in 2004 found that 36 per cent of nursing home staff said they had witnessed at least one incident of physical abuse in the previous year, and 10 per cent admitted having committed at least one act of physical abuse.

Forty per cent said they had psychologically abused those in their care. Police and prosecutors say that elder abuse cases are problematic for them.

Often, just as in spousal abuse cases, the abused elder refuses to testify and the case must be dropped. That is why in most of the advanced countries, the law requires that health care, social service and law enforcement personnel report any actual or suspected abuse.

Those who fail to do so are subject to fines and imprisonment. They are, however, protected from civil and criminal liability for making the reports.

However, in the present scenario, where the majority of elder abuse cases go unreported, prevention becomes especially important. Through prevention, we can make elders’ last years more pleasant, and we can save elders’ lives.

The first and most important step toward preventing elder abuse is to recognise that no one of whatever age should be subjected to violent, abusive, humiliating, or neglectful behaviour.

In addition to promoting this social attitude, positive steps include educating people about elder abuse, increasing the availability of respite care, promoting increased social contact and support for families with dependent older adults, and encouraging counselling and treatment to cope with personal and family problems that contribute to abuse.

Of all these actions, education is the cornerstone of preventing elder abuse. Because most abuse occurs in the home by family members or caregivers, there needs to be a concerted effort to educate the public about the special needs and problems of the elderly and about the risk factors for abuse.

Social contact and support can be a boon to the elderly and to the family members and caregivers as well. When other people are part of the social circle, tensions are less likely to reach unmanageable levels. Having other people to talk to is an important part of relieving tension.

Many times, families in similar circumstances can band together to share solutions and provide informal respite for each other.

Isolation of elders increases the probability of abuse, and it may even be a sign that abuse is occurring. Sometimes abusers will threaten to keep people away from the older person.

There can be some instances, where the children are not equipped emotionally or physically to handle the responsibility of looking after the elders. In such situations, it may be in the best interest of the older person to move him or her to a different, safer setting.

Abusing an elderly person is like the bullying of a smaller, younger child on the playground. The older person who cannot stand up for themselves verbally or physically is an easy target. The elder, just like the young child, may not know how to stop the abuse and will therefore have to suffer relentlessly.

One of the ironies of elder abuse in Sri Lanka is that our younger people seem to be too busy to listen or act and elders are often pushed away from the hub of action and ignored.