Awareness of abuse and maltreatment in the ageing population 15-06-2021
By: María Luisa Teijeiro, M.A
When we talk about abuse and mistreatment, we don't usually think of older adults. In the last year, approximately one in six people over the age of 60 suffered some kind of abuse in community environments according to data posted on the portal of the World Health Organization (WHO).
Defined by WHO as a single or repeated act that causes harm or suffering to an elderly person, or the lack of appropriate measures to prevent it, which occurs in a relationship based on trust, and can take various forms ranging from physical, mental, emotional or sexual abuse to abuse of trust in economic matters; the most widespread abuse of the elderly is psychological abuse, which is manifested through insults, humiliations and even restrictions to coexist with their families.
The Spanish Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology, alerts us by warning that it is in the home where it is thought that situations of abuse occur most frequently. Until now it was difficult for many to understand that these facts occurred in the family itself, as it has been associated with nursing homes, hospitals and retirement facilities.
Among the ill-treatment of older adults, several types stand out:
- Physical abuse: Use of physical force that causes damage to the body, pain, or physical deterioration. Blows, kicks, pushes, pinches, burns, inappropriate use of medicines, forced ingestion, etc.
- Abandonment: abandonment of the elderly by the person responsible for their care or custody. Abandonment in clinics, hospitals, public thoroughfares, shopping centers, etc.
- Economic abuse: inappropriate use of the economical funds, properties or assets of the elderly.
- Psychological abuse: insults, contempt, coercion, disqualification or conduct of domination and imposition.
- Negligence: conduct that threatens the health or safety of the elderly through restrictions, absences or deficiencies in providing food, drink, clothing, hygiene, medication, shelter or safety.
- Sexual abuse: sexual contact without consent of any kind. May include touching, photographing, rape, forced nudity, etc.
The most common form of abuse is negligence. Neglect in food, hygiene and medical care. This type of mistreatment occurs equally in all social and economic classes.
Some risk factors for the elderly may be identified:e pueden identificar algunos factores de riesgo para el anciano:
- Individual factors: Older age, being widowed, female sex. Suffering from some type of cognitive impairment, dementia or mental disorder. Low self-esteem Motor agitation and incontinence.
- Relational factors: Emotional, financial, or functional dependence on their caregivers, especially in families with a history of limited resources.
- Community factors: Social isolation due to illness, loss of friends and family.
- Socio-cultural factors: the idea that the elderly are weak people, the difficulties in family relationships, the lack of resources to care for them, increase the likelihood of abuse. If you they are in an institution, lack of trained staff or overload of work.
It is also important to point out the risk factors for the aggressor. Among these we have a history of domestic violence, dependence on the victim, chronic physical illness, poverty, refusal of medical help, social isolation and an overload of the caregiver either physical and/or emotional.
Keep in mind that not all aggressors are people with pathological problems, since many cases are observed where the aggressor can be a person whose remaining behaviors are apparently within the norm.
Lack of social resources, economic problems, a previously poor family relationship, housing sharing, work overload and lack of initiative are environmental indicators that can lead to abuse of older adults.
We propose to imitate or promote initiatives in our country, as they do in developed countries, where measures have been put in place for some years now to successfully prevent and avoid the abuse of older people.
These measures include:
- Promote awareness-raising campaigns on the value of older people. Assuming that people are valuable regardless of their age. The experience and wisdom attained by age is a positive point and should be taken into account.
- Avoid social isolation. Promote their participation in cultural, leisure and social activities.
- Eliminate stigmatizing language.
- Promote a good environmental design. Environment must be accessible, comfortable, safe, suitable furniture, sufficient lighting, etc.
- Detection of potential victims and aggressors.
- Mandatory notification of mistreatment to the authorities.
- Intergenerational programmes in schools.
- Cognitive impairment and dementia training for caregivers.
- Caring for the caregiver by providing psychological support services to relieve the feeling of overload resulting from the stress of the caregiving.
- Strengthen psychological care services for the elderly with the aim of working on their emotions, feelings, life story, desires, frustrations, desires, projecting their future, facilitating their decision-making, personal and affective development. The right to be considered and treated as a person in all its stages and facets.
- Self-help groups for the ageing.
- Refuge facilities and emergency shelters.
References:
OWorld Health Organization
General Council of Psychology / Consejo General de la Psicología, Spain. In their division of the psychology of aging workgroup.
https://www.salud.mapfre.es/salud-familiar/mayores/abuso-y-maltrato-en-la-vejez/
https://www.cepal.org/es/articulos/2012-dia-mundial-toma-conciencia-abuso-maltrato-la-vejez
http://www.infocop.es/view_article.asp?id=4631
