The term elder abuse has been defined in many ways. Under international definition,
elder abuse is a repeated behavior that either results in physical or
psychological abuse to an elderly individual (Rai, 2000, p. 45). Elder abuse
generally has two sides to it. The first is the ‘abusive’ aspect while the
other is the ‘neglect’ part. The abusive component needs to be analyzed in
terms of physical interaction of an individual with an elder person while the neglect
part is best analyzed in terms of omission of crucial attention or passive
involvement of an abuser to an elderly person.
The Australian definition of elder
abuse can be best defined by EAPU’s definition in EAPU (2008) as "Any act
occurring within a relationship where there is an implication of trust, which
results in harm to an older person. Abuse can include physical, sexual,
financial, psychological and social abuse and or neglect". The Australian
perspective is therefore broader in definition. Fundamentally, elder abuse is
manifested when there is some sort of abuse by an individual to an adult,
causing emotional or physical pain.
The true prevalence of elder abuse is not easy
to determine (Tatara,
1999, p. 6). However, current prevalence rates are estimated at between 4-6% (Christoffel,
2006, p. 114). Elder abuse is prevalent among elderly women than in men. Elderly
women also constitute a greater part of this population group (elders). It is
also established that the elderly male population constitutes the highest
majority of neglected victims. The elderly women population is prone to most
forms of abuse but about half of the perpetrators (47.5%) of elder abuse are
still women. Adult sons and daughters have also been identified to constitute
the largest group of abusers (EAPU, 2008).
Elder abuse was inexistent up until
the seventies when the European society started documenting their first cases.
Later, United States and Canada started taking note of the ill and it later
spread to the rest of the developed world. Developing countries are currently
following the same trend with most elder organization groups undertaking
research and publishing articles of the same. The definition of elder abuse in
the European context still incorporates the physical element of abuse which may
lead to physical harm and injury. Inclusively, unnecessary pain, injury, loss,
a deprivation of human rights and a decrease in the quality of life all constitute
the European context of Elder abuse. The Australian definition is no different
(Summers, 2006, p. 66).
Essentially, Western definition of elder abuse constitutes sexual, financial,
verbal, emotional and physical abuse but the influence of culture has a role to
play in the way different societies define elder abuse.
In the aboriginal cultures, elder
abuse differs from the contemporary western definition because they define
elders differently. An elder, in the
aboriginal culture, constitutes someone who is spiritually endowed and observes
the traditions of the culture. For the aboriginal community therefore, the victims
of elder abuse don’t necessarily need to be elderly because victims may come
from any age group. In these types of communities, mistreatment takes the
perspective of the community and the roles of various people in the community.
There are specific ways to which people are expected to be treated and if one
falls short of that, they are regarded as abusive. The elderly population in
such type of communities also commands a lot of respect within the society and
a lack of respect towards them constitutes elder abuse. Generalization should
therefore be applied when defining abuse in these types of communities.
Nonetheless, the assumptions that aboriginal communities share the same values
and traditions is misinformed and still adds to the complexity of defining elder
abuse in these type of communities. It is therefore difficult to quantify elder
abuse in aboriginal cultures (Hrsdc,
2009).
Prevention
of Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is largely a societal problem especially
with the wrong connotation many people attribute to ageing. The society
generally views aged people as an unnecessary responsibility and they often
abuse them because they are not prepared to take care of them well (Wold, 2004, p. 20). The
reduction of elder abuse prevalence can be largely attained through prevention.
It is therefore crucial for those entrusted with the responsibility of taking
care of the elderly population to be evaluated in terms of their level of
responsibility and the commitment they would put into ensuring the comfort of their
subjects.
The society at large should also be
effectively educated on the best methods available to take care of the elderly.
Essentially, training should be provided to those entrusted with such responsibilities,
as well as entrenching the awareness of the challenges that come from elderly
care in the society. Caregivers should especially be prepared through respite
programs to enable them effectively get prepared in dealing with the emotional
and physical burdens associated with taking care of the elderly. There is
however a need to approach this ill from a non-institutionalized point of view
because it is obviously noted that families are not yet ready or equipped to
take care of the elderly; at least on a full time basis. Indeed, James (2010) attests that some viable
alternatives to relieving family burden entail having:
“'social settings which meet the
needs of the elderly such as public housing for the elderly, foster homes,
group homes, etc as well as services that can assist the independence of an
older person living in his or her own dwelling. Such community resources
include meals-on-wheel programs, home care and chore services, transportation
programs, telephone reassurance and friendly visitor programs”
In the same spirit, elder abuse or elder
care in totality should be viewed as a general problem that should be adequately
prepared for. Quite frankly, elder abuse occurs from the perspective that most
victims are not prepared for it and therefore become burdens to their families.
This responsibility makes many caretakers crack under the pressure. It is
therefore important that adults prepare psychologically and financially for
this period in their lives, such that, other family members can have an easy
time dealing with their situation. This should be done at individual levels.
Mrs.
Jones’ Situation
Considering the tight fix Mrs. Jones is in, I would
advice her to evaluate options of getting out of the son’s home before she is
subjected to more physical abuse. The best option she has is enrolling in an elder
home, at least as a short-term measure. Elder homes will give her the
independence she needs from her daughter in law. In addition, she will still be
able to get the necessary medical treatment she needs before she fully
recuperates. This type of care cannot be obtained from any family member or
even her son because of the level of specialization they offer (Lazarowich, 1991, p. 49).
At the elder home, she will receive
the best services from physicians and also interact with her peers, because
quite evidently, staying at home does not only subject her to physical abuse
but also emotional abuse. At the elder home, she will feel at home because she
will interact with people of her age group. This will probably make her
happier. An elder home will not only provide her with the services of
physicians but also provide access to the best services from dieticians,
volunteers, social workers, occupational therapists and the likes (Haworth Press, 1997).
Alternatively, if she is unable to
access such homes or be unable to pay for these facilities, she needs to take a
bold step of reporting her daughter in law to the relevant authorities.
However, she first needs to talk to her son about the situation. Hopefully, he
will be in a position to prevent this mistreatment. If any of the above methods
fail, she needs to relocate from the home and live with more hospitable
relatives.
References
Christoffel,
T. (2006). Injury Prevention and Public
Health: Practical Knowledge, Skills, and
Strategies. London: Jones & Bartlett
Learning.
EAPU.
(2008). Elder Abuse. Retrieved 25
August, 2010, from
http://www.eapu.com.au/ElderAbuse.aspx
Haworth
Press. (1997). Journal of Housing for the
Elder, Volume 12. Michigan:
Haworth
Press.
Hrsdc.
(2009). Aboriginal Concepts
and Diversity. Retrieved 25 August, 2010, from
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/eng/community_partnerships/seniors/nhsp/eaa/info_guide/module02.shtml#e3
James,
M. (2010). Abuse and Neglect of Older
People. Retrieved 25 August, 2010, from
http://www.aifs.gov.au/institute/pubs/fm1/fm37mj.html
Lazarowich,
M. (1991). Granny Flats as Housing for
the Elder: International Perspectives.
London: Routledge.
Rai.
(2000). Elder Care Medicine for Lawyers.
London: Routledge.
Summers,
R. (2006). Elder Abuse: A Public Health
Perspective. Michigan: American Public
Health
Association.
Tatara,
T. (1999). Understanding Elder Abuse in
Minority Populations. London: Psychology
Press.
Wold,
G. 2004. Basic Geriatric Nursing.
Michigan: Elsevier Health Sciences.
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