Elder Neglect in changing Society Scenario
By Dr. Nalinikanta Mishra: The world is today at the being of the paradigm shift with an increasing population of older people as compared children and more people at extreme old age than before. United nation report projected the number of people aged 65 or older to grow from an estimated 1.2 million by 2025 an 2millions by 2050.
In India the proportion of older people is growing gradually from last three decades i.e 6.7% (1991), in 7.4% (2001) and 8.0% (2011). In Odisha the proportion of older population was 8.1% of total population in 2001 whereas it increased to 9.3% in 2011 which is higher than national average. Even though the dependents ratio of India shows an overall decline the old dependence ratio has risen from 122 in 1991 to 142 in 2011.
According to SRS 2011 percentage of older age group population to the total population living in rural areas is 8.1 and 7.9 in urban areas. The demographic transition that is happing today is the combined result of decline in fertility improvement in life expectance together with a shift in the leading cause of death and illness from infectious and parasitic disease to non-communicable disease and chronic condition. Together with the chronic and degenerative the health changes seen in the elderly in India, like other developing countries also faces the brunt of urbanization,industrialization and persisting.
Changing family patterns social norms and values has today made the elderly more prone to abuse isolation and abandonment. The joint family systems and the financial and social security that came along with it is slowly being replaced by nuclear family, leaving more and more elder population to live alone. Elder abuse define by WHO as ‘ A single or repeated at or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of cross which cause harm or distress to an older person’. It can include physical, physiological, emotional, financial and material abuse. India ranks 73 out of 91 countries in quality of life for the aged as per the ‘global age watch index’ by Health Age international.
In its report European report on preventing elder mal treatment WHO summarizes the result of various community base survey and researches on elder abuse in European countries. The reports highlights that elder mal treatment in European countries ranges from 3% to 25% in some communities.
A study held on urban slums of Bhubaneswar in the year of 2014 show the prevalence rate of elder abuse around 31%. A higher % of females(36%) reported abuse where as 28% of male reported being abused. According to the respondents who are facing abused reported neglect (94%) disrespect (88%), verbal abuse(76%), economic exploitation(58%) and beating 54% at the major type of abuse they have been facing.
The son (46%) and daughter in law(30%) were emerged as the top most abuser. According to the victims economic dependence of the abuser(40%) was the main followed by economic dependence of victims (26%), lack of adjustment (13%), emotional dependence(11%), increase longevity(8%) and care givers stress (2%). Considering the consequences after being abused 40% of the elderly victims has done self injury to their body, 23% has used alcoholand drugs like substances, 9% left the house, 3% are attempt the suicides where as 25% has no reaction after being abused.
Reporting elderly abuse is a subject often pushed under the carpet. Most elders become silent suffer as it is a matter of family honor for them. Since many elders live with their abusers, complaining against them often worsens the matter as a result of retaliation. The degradation of our value system leads to increase in the prevalence of the elderly abuse.
International day of Elderly is celebrated on 1st October. There are mass awareness programmes being organized to media, public lectures and govt. funding for several schemes to provide independent safe housing schemes, pensions, free geriatric health services so that abuse does not exist. Apart from the laws on maintenance of elderly where they can asked their children to provide their maintenance, making them as independent as possible by enhancing social supports, recreational activities, easy access to health services and last but not list giving respect to elderly can safe our society from the abuse of elderly.