What is elder abuse?
The World Health Organization defines elder abuse as "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person.” According to WHO, elder abuse can take various forms such as physical, psychological or emotional, sexual and financial abuse. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect.
Why are cases of abuse on the rise?
According to those who work in the area, the reasons are
- Increased life spans of the population
- A change in traditional family values
- easy targets for abuse is isolation.
Most elderly associate elder abuse with disrespect, verbal abuse and neglect.
Often seen elders...
- Being harassed by their children for their deposits and property;
- Their signatures being faked to take loans against the properties.
- Children refusing to take elderly parents to the doctor for treatment;
- Not getting their food or medication on time;
- Rude language and behaviour;
- Threats to throw them out on the streets if they complain.
Others...
Given our cultural conditioning,
It is expected that children, especially the sons, would take care of parents in their old age.
However, surveys and workshops show several instances of elder abuse where the immediate family is the main perpetrator.
‘The sons, along with the daughters-in-law are increasingly turning abusers. Surprisingly there is an emerging trend of the daughters also turning abusive,’
Elder abuse can be prevented or at least reported with a little awareness, which, sadly enough, is yet to come.
Facts...
- Verbal abuse ranked the highest in the survey, followed by neglect and disrespect.
- The survey also showed that 50% of seniors experience abuse.
- Of the top metros, Delhi had the lowest percentage of abuse (22%) and Bangalore had the highest (75%) of elder abuse.
Measures to prevent abuse
Senior citizens in the country can avoid ill-treatment or abuse at the hands of their family under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007.
This law aims to prevent elder abuse by making it a legal obligation of children to provide maintenance to their parents.
The Act also provides for ‘Childless Senior Citizens,’ who are unable to maintain themselves from their own income and can demand maintenance from their relatives.
Maintenance in this case includes provision for food, clothing, residence, medical attendance and treatment.
Unfortunately, awareness of the Act is extremely low among senior citizens in India.
So we need to create awareness about it.
Another story..
There are also cases where the elderly have been forced by their children to gift away the property to their children.
Under the Maintenance Act, the tribunals give the option to challenge the gift deed if the elder was forced or was not of sound mind but the process remains a laborious and difficult one.
Community can play a very important role in both preventing the abuse as well as empowering the elders to fight back against such violation of their basic human rights.
We just need awareness about the abuse and the strength to face it.
We need to give all that we can to our old generation as we deserve it, they did all they could for the youth.
Now,
its our time to payback.
Inspiring India
