‘Abuse Of Older People Increasing’

Lana Officer

The number of older people experiencing some form of abuse is more than previously estimated, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has stated.

One in six older people experience some form of abuse, a figure predicted to rise as populations age worldwide.

A new study, supported by WHO and published in the Lancet Global Health, has found that almost 16 percent of people aged 60 years and older were subjected to either psychological abuse (11.6 percent), financial abuse (6.8 percent), neglect (4.2 percent), physical abuse (2.6 percent) or sexual abuse (0.9 percent).

The research draws on the best available evidence from 52 studies in 28 countries from different regions, including 12 low and middle income countries.

“The abuse of older people is on the rise; for the 141 million older people worldwide this has serious individual and societal costs,” Alana Officer, Senior Health Adviser, Department of Ageing and Life Course at WHO, said.

“We must do much more to prevent and respond to the increasing frequency of different forms of abuse,” she added.

The health organisation disclosed that the actions or lack of appropriate action which can cause harm or distress to an older person, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust is still largely a taboo topic.

It indicated that elder abuse can lead to an increased risk of nursing home placement, use of emergency services, hospitalisation and death.

“Despite the frequency and the serious health consequences, elder abuse remains one of the least investigated types of violence in national surveys, and one of the least addressed in national plans to prevent violence,” Ms Officer added.

It is estimated that by 2050, the number of people aged 60 and over will double to reach two billion globally, with the vast majority of older people living in low and middle income countries.

Therefore, if the proportion of elder abuse victims remains constant, the number of people affected will increase rapidly due to population ageing, growing to 320 million victims by 2050.

“Governments must protect all people from violence. We must work to shed light on this important societal challenge, understand how best to prevent it, and help put in place the measures needed,” Dr Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department for the Management of Non-communicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention, mentioned.

The United Nations General Assembly, in its resolution 66/127, designated 15 June as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. 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.

 By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri