Elder Abuse - still a menace

Morenike Adetunji

Has it ever crossed your mind that older people feel pain and hurt too?Have you ever imagined that old people can be abused too?

When the word abuse is used, one can guess that the instances that comes to your mind are child abuse, sexual abuse and other popular forms of abuse. However there are other forms of abuse that have not really been heralded, among these is Elder Abuse. 

Unlike other forms of domestic violence, Elder Abuse is yet to get attention all over the world, it nonetheless continues to spread like an uncontained virus.

The World Health Organization (WHO), who brought international attention to the issue of Elder Abuse in 2002 defined the abuse to be "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". This basically means taking advantage of the vulnerability of elders by refusing to act or acting in a way that causes harm on the older person.

Think of those times you have refused to run an errand for your grandma because you know she's too old to help herself and she is unable to force you to do her biddings.

Regardless of the religious and traditional society we have in Africa,; where it is basically a taboo to disrespect the elderly, cases of elder abuse are only unpopular, but are very much in existence. Some may give the excuse that old people are most times grumpy and many times unable to control or express their emotions well, people or caregivers then tend to "punish" the feeble grey-headed for acting unruly. 

As absurd as this may seem, it is important to know that regardless of their old age, the elderly also have emotions, and this in return affects them even health wise. As much as it is important to take care of the young and save them from emotional and mental pain and duress, it is also eminent to look out for the safety of the old and vulnerable.

This is why in 2006 the International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) , officially recognized by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 66/127, December 2011. It represents the one day in the year when the whole world voices its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflicted to some of our older generations. 

Elder abuse is a problem that exists in both developing and developed nations, yet is typically underreported globally. Prevalence rates or estimates exist only in selected developed countries — ranging from 1% to 10%. Although the extent of elder mistreatment is unknown, its social and moral significance is obvious. As such, it demands a global multifaceted response, one which focuses on protecting the rights of older persons.

From a health and social perspectives, unless both primary health care and social service sectors are well equipped to identify and deal with the problem, elder abuse will continue to be underdiagnosed and overlooked.

As we mark anothee world awareness day for elder abuse, let us all take the time out to take care of the aged and report cases that bothers on this abuse. Remember being old and frail is not a curse.