Senior citizens need love, care, support
Thandiwe Moyo | Tuesday June 18, 2019 14:00
Speaking at the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day at University of Botswana Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Medical Hospital (SKTM) on Friday, she said that it was important for communities, families and the nation at large to give senior citizens love, care and support.
“Our elderly remain our responsibility. We need to understand that the change they find themselves in having been active (and productive) before is not easy. Love, care, respect and support are crucial for them. Amongst challenges faced by elderly is the issue of financial, emotional abuse and social isolation,” she said.
Kennedy explained that rates of abuse might be higher for older people living in institutions than in the community. She said elderly abuse could lead to serious physical and long term psychological consequences. She also said elder abuse is predicted to increase as many countries are experiencing rapidly ageing populations.
She said according to the United Nations (UN), the number of elderly in the year 2015-2030 would significantly increase in developing countries stating that there was an urge for governments to create programmes for the elderly as the sustainable development goals 2030 clearly states, “We are leaving no one behind”.
“As a country, it is hard to get data on the challenges faced by the elderly as we do not have a specific division that focuses on abuse of adults nor do we have a policy that guides programming for the elderly. However, basing on international data, we do have the issue of financial, emotional abuse, social isolation and other arising health matters affecting them such as dementia. Depression, hypertension, and cancer to mention a few,” she said.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) the global population of people aged 60 years and older would more than double from 900 million in 2015 to about two billion in 2050.
For their part, the elderly members present at the event raised many painful stories such as financial, emotional and sexual abuse. On the financial abuse issue, they said that their children trick them into changing ownership of their properties to their (the children) custody and then mortgage the properties and get loans to further develop the properties. Some also say they are kicked out of their homes by people claiming to have bought their homes whilst some have lost their homes because the children failed to service the loans as agreed with the banks.
Some elderly indicated that they are neglected, not taken care of and are often hidden from the public eye because they are being bathed and therefore their children are ashamed of them. Widespread rape more especially at the cattle posts and homes is also a concern.