Chijioke Iremeka
Medical practitioners in elderly care and management have called on the Federal Government to implement laws that protect senior citizens in the country from abuse.
The experts spoke against the backdrop of a recent report by the World Health Organisation which predicted that no fewer than 320 million elderly individuals globally were at risk of abuse by 2050.
The geriatricians emphasised the need for comprehensive policy changes such as the government building more elderly homes, increasing funding, and enforcement of laws to prevent abuse of the elderly.
They explained that stronger protective measures, better training for caregivers, and enhanced support services to prevent abuse at home, community settings, and social homes were crucial to tackling the abuse.
Recall that the National Senior Citizens Centre on August 2, 2023, in Abuja, held its maiden dialogue to discuss issues affecting senior citizens and how their experiences can be leveraged for increased national development and effective service delivery.
The former Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Farouq said that the Federal Government had developed the National Policy on Ageing and also established the National Senior Citizens Centre to meet the challenges of older persons in the country.
According to the WHO, the abuse of older people, also known as elder abuse, is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.
The global health body emphasised that these types of violence constitute a violation of human rights including physical, sexual, psychological, and emotional abuse, Others are financial and material abuse; abandonment; neglect; and serious loss of dignity and respect.
Speaking exclusively with PUNCH Healthwise in different interviews, the stakeholders urged the government to criminalise the act of elder abuse, both at home, on the street, in the care homes, and in public to ensure that they are not abused.
A private geriatrician at the Spring City Hospital, Ogidi, Anambra State, Dr Stephen Okonkwo, said that enforcing comprehensive laws to protect the elderly was crucial.
Okonkwo said though Nigeria had several laws that could be exploited to deter elder abuse, he said that Nigeria should be specific and ensure perpetrators face legal consequences.
He said, “We have cases of elderly people being brought to the hospitals on the account of abuse. We also need society to take certain actions to stop this. Arresting the abusers and sending them to the police for appropriate action is needed.
“In addition to that, if we must avert this looming problem which has become a serious crisis in the country, the government agencies must also be trained to recognise and respond to elder abuse cases.
“In doing this, community awareness is essential. Educational campaigns can inform the public about the signs of elder abuse and promote respect for older individuals.
“It is not only when they are beaten that the abuse has taken place, no. Depriving them of their rights is another form of abuse. Abandoning them in the family house in the village in the hands of a total stranger is another sign of abuse.
“This is because there is nobody that can take care of these elderly people better than their children. So the children can also abuse their parents through this means without knowing.
“So, engaging local leaders and influencers in these campaigns can help shift cultural attitudes that may normalise or ignore abuse.”
He added that there is a need for support systems for the elderly and should be strengthened.
“This included creating more senior citizen centres and support networks where older people can seek help and companionship. Social services need to be accessible, offering counseling and resources for both the elderly and their caregivers.
“Education is another critical area. Providing resources and training for families on how to care for elderly members compassionately and responsibly can prevent abuse within households.
“Encouraging community involvement and vigilance can help protect the elderly. Neighbors and community members should be encouraged to report any suspected abuse to appropriate authorities,” he added.
Speaking further, the founder of the Vision Home, and Consultant Gynaecologist and Obstetrician at Epe General Hospital, Epe, Lagos, Dr Cynthia Okafor said combining legal measures, education, and community support, in Nigeria can work towards preventing elder abuse effectively.
Okafor recalled that she had attended to many elderly women who had been sexually abused by the people around them.
She noted that abandonment of the elderly by their children has become commonplace in the country, especially those who were tagged witches and wizards and therefore abandoned.
“These people who struggled to train their children to maturity are now being abandoned at the time they need their children more.
“Sometimes, you will hear that one spiritual head told them that their fathers or mothers are the cause of their problem. That is enough to put them off. So we need education and awareness to get these people’s minds sound again and take care of their elderly in society. These are the only ways to avert the prediction,” she added.
The WHO further estimated that about one in six people 60 years and older experienced some form of abuse in the community during the past year, saying that the rates of abuse of older people are high in nursing homes and long-term care facilities.
It noted that the global population of people aged 60 years and older would double, from 900 million in 2015 to about two billion in 2050, saying that abuse of older people is an important public health problem that needs immediate attention.
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