June 15 is observed as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. This year it is the 10th anniversary of WEAAD. Older people and all those who support fulfilment of their needs believe that the crux of elder abuse in society is violation of the rights of seniors.

June 15, every year, is observed as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). This year it is the 10th anniversary of WEAAD, launched by the International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA), an independent non-government, non-profit organisation established since 1997 with special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council (since 2003), UN department of economic and social affairs, and the UN department of public information. INPEA has regional representatives across seven regions of the world and national representatives in over 65 countries. It aims to increase awareness about elder abuse, making it visible, recognising and responding to the mistreatment of older people in whatever setting it occurs, so that the later years of life of older people will be free from abuse, neglect and exploitation. Since December 2011, WEAAD is recognised by United Nations through its resolution 66/127 as a day to prevent elder abuse and stop the suffering inflicted on some of the members of the older generation. Older people and all those who support fulfilment of their needs believe that the crux of elder abuse in society is violation of the rights of seniors.

World Health Organisation in their publication, Abuse of the Elderly, few years back estimated that four-six per cent of older persons at home and in community settings have suffered some form of abuse — including physical, psychological, emotional, sexual or financial abuse or neglect — and the corresponding figure for elder abuse in institutional settings is believed to be significantly higher. With populations ageing around the world, the problem of elder abuse is also seen to be increasing, rapidly becoming a serious issue to confront and combat. Some risk factors for elder abuse include social isolation, the societal depiction of older people, prevailing ageism and the erosion of bonds between generations.

A UNFPA survey conducted in 2011 in seven states of India reveals about 10 per cent of older people being abused in the country, with interstate and rural urban variations. However, research on older persons across countries also reveals that most cases of abuse and neglect go unreported and undocumented and can be a result of intentional or unintentional neglect. Verbal abuse and disrespect are identified as being most common. Physical abuse and economic abuse are also forms experienced by older people with perpetrators being mainly from the family — immediate and extended. Neighbours and outsiders are also seen to be victimising older people, with disabled older people, older women and particularly widows being most vulnerable. Available literature from both developed and developing countries indicate besides family members, informal care givers, professional care providers, friends, strangers, etc., being perpetrators with no differences because of age, economic status, education, religion or any other factor.

The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens, 2007 legislation operational in India, though not yet in all the states, is seen to help older people who are being abused and neglected by their family members. But as has been observed in many countries legislations alone don’t stop and combat abuse and neglect of older persons. Preventing and managing elder abuse is a complex, multifaceted issue. It is important to empower older people and make them conscious of their social, health, legal and economic rights. Communities must be made aware of the problem of abuse, and they must strongly oppose it. People must be educated to help prevent elder abuse and safeguard the rights, dignity and independence of older persons. Comprehensive research is needed into the causes, consequences, treatment and prevention of elder abuse. Professionals, particularly healthcare providers, legal experts, social workers and financial consultants dealing with older persons at various levels need to be sensitive and cautious about signs of abuse and neglect and take steps to report the problem to the police or concerned NGOs working for the welfare of the older people. As the INPEA stresses our voices can speak against ageism, combat isolation and raise public awareness about elder abuse.

Training of care givers, formal and informal, on old age concerns and problems along with availability of helplines, counselling centres, respite care units to relieve the stress of older persons care, shelter homes and support groups for the victims as well as community programmes to stimulate social interactions are important provisions and services which can help in combating abuse and neglect. It is important for governments to reduce incidents of violence towards elders, increase reporting of such abuse, and to develop elder friendly policies, which encourage older people to remain active, productive and important contributors to society. There is need for multigenerational and multidisciplinary initiatives with diverse use of information technology to create an effective understanding of the needs of older people, their safety and to understand, prevent and manage elder abuse, a hidden public health and societal problem.

Across countries and particularly in India, where the population of older people is increasing — 104.2 million as per the 2011 census from 1.02 billion in 2001 — and estimated to increase even more rapidly from 2021 onwards, prevalence studies of elder abuse is a growing necessity. The increasing problem of elder abuse requires adequate approaches to define, detect and address elder abuse from a rights based perspective. The emerging concern needs to be understood as a primary healthcare and social service matter and needs to be stopped now, prevented and managed otherwise it will remain under-diagnosed and overlooked, creating a problem for the ageing society, in India and elsewhere too.

The writer is a sociologist and gerontologist working as associate professor, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi. She can be reached at LittleThingsMatter@gmail.com