Elder Abuse

Elder Abuse can be referred to as a recurring, or single act, or lack regarding appropriate action, taking place within any sort of relationship, where trust is being expected and distress or harm is caused to the older person out of the breach of trust. This definition has been established by ‘Action on Elder Abuse’ in United Kingdom. It was later adopted by WHO, i.e. World Health Organization. In the language of common man, elder abuse can be referred to as the concept which states that trust is expected by older persons towards abuser of theirs. Eventually, it is exclusive of more usual criminal activity like ‘distraction burglary’ or ‘muggings’ in street, where a stranger attempts to distract the elderly person at this doorstep while the other stranger enters the home for stealing.

In the year 2006, the UN designated 15^th of June as WEAAD, i.e. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. Several events are being organized all over the world to raise awareness regarding elder abuse, and also highlight the ways of challenging such an abuse. Every nation has its theme with respect to elder abuse. However, there’re also exclusive manifestations based on societal perceptions, economic strength, culture, and history pertaining to older persons within the nations themselves. The elementary familiar denominator is use of control and power by an individual for affecting the status and well-being of another older person. There are various kinds of abuses of the older persons which are recognized on the universal basis as being ‘Elder Abuse’. They include:

Physical

Examples of physical abuse are restraining, kicking, pushing, burning, slapping, punching, hitting, false confinement/imprisonment, or wrong excessive medication.

Psychological

Examples of psychological abuse are humiliating or ignoring a person. The other acts of such type include constantly criticizing, ridiculing, blaming, frightening, swearing, or shouting. The usual theme is that of a perpetrator who has the tendency of identifying something mattering to the older person and using it later for coercing him/her in to a specified action.

Financial

Elder abuse on the monetary basis is inclusive of an unauthorized or illegal utilization of the individual’s money, property, pension book, and other valuables inclusive of changing ‘will’ of the person for naming the abuser as the heir, obtaining power of attorney on the fraudulent grounds, along with deprivation of property or money, or through eviction from home of his own.

Sexual

Such sort of abuse includes forcing the person to participate in any of the sexual activities without his/her consent, inclusive of persuading them to be a part of conversations pertaining to sexual nature against his/her will.

Neglect

This aspect of elder abuse includes depriving the person of heat, food, comfort, clothing or even essential medication.

Apart from the above activities, certain countries recognize some other acts as Elder Abuse as well. They include:

Rights abuse

This type of abuse includes denial of constitutional and civil rights of the older person, that too, when he/she has not been declared as mentally handicapped by the court. This aspect is being increasingly adopted and recognized by the nations.