Ashok Kumar Arora
The international network and WHO at the United Nations launched this day on June 15, 2006.The day is celebrated every year throughout the world to bring together Senior Citizens ,their children, their caregivers, close relations and the Government to combat the problem, supported by the United Nations and the World Health Organizations.
The International Network for the Prevention of Elders -Abuse (INPEA) was founded in 1997. It is a global body dedicated to the cause of disseminating information on the prevention of elders abuse. INPEA defines elders -abuse as neglect, violation of human legal and medical rights and deprivation of the elderly. It serves as a call to action for individuals, organizations and communities to raise awareness about elders-abuse. Elders-abuse is a knowingly intentional act by a care giver that causes harm to a vulnerable adult.
The theme for the current year is “Understand and end of financial abuse of older persons- A Human Rights Issue” Since the number of older persons is increasing as also the elder abuse. The topic of elders-abuse has started to gain visibility across the world, it remains one of the least investigated types of violence in National Surveys and one of the least addressed in national action plan.
Senior citizens have the constitutional right to dignified life in old age, free from all forms of abuses. These abuses lead to poverty, hunger homelessness, compromised health and well being.
Five to 10% of older people globally experience some kind of financial abuse. However it is unfortunate that this mostly goes unreported partly due to shame and embarrassment on the part of the victim. Financial abuse is quite different in the developed countries than that in the under developed countries. Weak police and criminal justice systems are the main reasons.
The 2017 theme will explore effective means of strengthening protection against financial exploitation. This will be a hot agenda for the upcoming 8th. Session of General Assembly open ended working group on ageing to be held at New York from July 5 to 7, 2017.
There are many types of elders-abuse and a few are quoted below:-
i) Physical abuse like slapping , bruising, restraining,
II) Sexual abuse ie. Non-consensual sexual act
iii) Neglect– Not to provide shelter, food health care etc.
iv) Exploitation -concealment of funds, properties or assets of a senior elder
v) Emotional abuse–inflicting mental pain, anguish or distress through verbal acts, humiliating etc.
vi) Abondonment– desertion of an elderly person by a care giver.
And lastly the self -neglect which is characterized as a failure of a person to perform self care which is most unfortunate and not attributed to any caregiver. Self neglect results in changes in personality and behavior. Such changes are indications of elders abuse and is borne in silence.
Social development studies carried out in our country reveal alarming figures. Nearly 2/3rd of elderly people in our country are neglected by their families while as 1/3rd remaining face physical and verbal abuse. The studies further reveal that elders in urban areas face more brunt than those in the rural areas. In our country still family ties are strong and elders enjoy respect and live in dignity in rural areas. They live together and nuclear families are the ones left for the urban areas only. With the fast changing times the things are going to change in the rural areas also.
With extended life span and more expenses on medicines and hospitalization the younger ones abstain from taking care of the elders and as such they are left high and dry and also often subject to elders abuse. The sufferers of elders abuse are both men and women but over all the women are the more sufferers. Women generally live longer than the men as it is customary to marry men of higher age. Once widowed they are the main target of elders abuse. Elders are mostly fragile, with poor reflexes and vulnerable in all respects are dependent on the youngsters and thus are subject to elders abuse at some time or the other.
There are no laws to protect the elders from the elders abuse However Govt. Of India has enacted an Act “Maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens Act 2007” which protects the elders from elders abuse. Unfortunately the Act has not been extended to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Neither extending the Act nor having their own Act is nothing but State Elders abuse. Anti Dowry laws are further cause of elders abuse when reported by the daughters-in law. A detailed study further reveals that the cases reported are just a tip of the iceberg and mostly the cases go unreported. A recent study has further revealed that only one out of six report this abuse for redressal.
There are nearly 8 .5 crore elderly people in our country. Most of them do not have access to basic pension. They are poor people like labourers, rickshaw pullers, daily wagers, teastall owners and so on and who are the main sufferers of elderly abuse. Under social security a few are being paid old age pension. The State Govt. has recently enhanced the old age pension to Rs. 1,000 per month. However how many souls are covered is a million Dollar question. This is nothing but an elderly abuse.
Providing some basic facilities like financial safety, health care, personal safety etc. is the social responsibility of the State. Even the state pensioners are not covered under any health insurance. Most of the Insurance cos. do not insure people for health insurance after a particular age. Even the Govt Hospitals refuse to admit a patient without an attendant. These are also the cases of elderly abuse.
As mentioned earlier there are no laws to prevent elders abuse. Fast- track systems need to be provided to enable older persons to seek early justice. There is need to bring awareness in the younger generation through print and electronic media. Acts, plays and dramas can really leave a print on the minds of youngsters. Elders abuse is not a new phenomena. It is as old as the civilization. It is human nature to exploit the weak and weakness in any form ,may be physical ,financial ,intellectual etc. Any one of these or unfortunately all these weaknesses can inflict any person. Younger people exploit these weaknesses for their benefit.
However this may not be true in all cases but it is and has been present all along in all ages with of course with varying degree. There is empirical evidence to suggest that in India the elders abuse is increasing both within families and Institutions. It also prevails across castes and religions. Its ingress is more in urban areas than the rural. . In our country these abuses are confined to the four walls of the houses and not made public. Very few cases are reported or relief is sought.
Problems are many but there are solutions also. Till such time the, “State Act for the Maintenance of Parents and senior Citizens” is enacted the seniors are deprived of the provisions in the Act which can prevent elders-abuse. However many other steps can be taken by the State to minimize the elders-abuse.
Even the Supreme Court Of India agreed to dwell on the issue of evolving of acceptable solutions and schemes for the welfare of senior citizens and most importantly establishment of old age homes at each District of the State. Former Law Minister said before the Hon’ble Judges that a very large number of oldies, the figure which is increasing day by day, are living without roof, proper clothing and food , not to talk of medical facilities and the budgetary provisions are very paltry.
Providing an Old Age Home at all the districts can be seen as an alternative to elders abuse. To do so it may not be possible for the State due to many constraints, the civil society has to come forward. The Old Age Home at Amphalla, Jammu is an example before us. This can encourage the civil society in other districts to come forward. WE believe that if this is done a large number of oldies can get relief from elders-abuse.
With the affluence increasing , many senior citizens are opting for or aspire to live in retirement homes. The finances of retirees and many others are better compared with earlier generations. Also the stigma earlier associated with such living is reducing. With nuclear families, children away from homes, the children shall welcome if such places are made available . At least they can feel satisfied that their parents are comfortable. Thus pay and stay homes is the other alternative. Most of the senior citizens want to spend their silver years with less physical and mental stress, with chores such as cooking ,housekeeping, health care taken care of . One most dreaded disease in the old age is loneliness. Nearly 10 to 20 % oldies die due to this disease. This is taken care of in pay and stay homes where people live in a family of oldies. Day care centers for the senior citizens is another option. It takes very little investment by the State Govt .as the central govt. bears most of the expenditure. The social welfare deptt. should come forward for such a relief ,at least for the day, for the oldies to be away from the home . Thus we have a number of solutions to the problem of elders abuse. Both the state govt. as well as the civil society have to come forward and avoid elders abuse.
A society is judged by how it treats it’s seniors. Let our society come forward and make it true.
(The writer is President, Association For Welfare Of Senior Citizens)
