Elder abuse is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occuring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person.
Abuse is not just physical but there are different types of elder abuse:
1) Physical Abuse: This type of abuse can be distinguished into different forms such as physically harming the elders, e.g broken bones, bruises, etc, or even making them work hard for there living which physically tire them.
✓ Signs of abuse: Delayed medical care for injuries, same type of injuries, poor explanation for there conditions, etc.
2) Sexual Abuse: Sexually abusing elders, forceful, unwanted contact with the elders. This generally happens with the elders having some medical conditions like alzheimer’s, dementia, etc which prevent them from consenting to sexual act and also forget about what happened with them.
✓ Signs: Panic attack, bleeding from private part, social and emotional withdrawal, etc.
3) Psychological and Emotional Abuse: In this type of abuse the elders are played with there psychology and are emotionally acttacked intentionally or unintentionally that trigger elders mental condition, fear or depression. This can be inform of humiliation, isolation, intimidation, etc.
✓ Signs: Appear disturbed, scared, confused, attempt to hurt others, avoid eye contact, etc.
4) Abuse caused due to Neglacting: This is not really an abuse but can be considered as the consequences of carelessness of the care givers. This can trigger mental instability and accidental injuries. This can be inform of neglacting proper checkups, lack of hygiene, poor nutrition, etc.
✓ Sign: Malnutrition, broken bones, unhygienic lifestyle, etc.
5) Abuse by Abandonment: Here the elders are abandoned or are isolated by there own family and friends. In this the elders appear to be lost, confused, scared, etc.
✓ Sign: Are always lonely and seem depressed, have poor hygiene, etc.
6) Financial Abuse: This is one of the most common abuse which elders face. This can be of different types, first where the elders own family cut off there financial support humiliate them, take there assets aways. Second is where the elders are fooled by the society and there properties and belonging are snatched illegally and in an unauthorised manner by strangers.
✓ Signs: Pattern of missing belongings, elders talk about properties without proper authorised information, papers, etc.
7) Self Neglected: Here the elders are unable to meet there basic daily need but are ignorent to get it done by others.
✓Sign: Dehydration or weight loss, lack of food, unpaid bills, etc.
In India more then 71% of elders face different kinds of abuses from family, frueds, society and caregivers. Every second there are abuse with the elders in different corners of the world. According to different surveys humiliation and insulting is the most common form of abusing. Every second senior citizens is been abused by family and caregivers. It is seen that in some old age homes the elders are not treated well. They are not given proper food, medical check-ups and hygiene is also poor. They are also forced to do physical labour for there living. This kind of practices should be stopped as senior citizens are one of the most important tyre of the society. People should come together and raise voice for the rights of our elders. Some day or the other every human pass through the same phase and to get good treatment and healthy life they should also treat there elders in same healthy way. Elders gives a lot of love and affection to us and we should also give them back rather then abusing them.
Written by :- Shreya Panda