In modern societies, a developing economy created new levels of prosperity for many people. Health care has become more widely accessible and medicine has advanced, allowing the elderly to live longer. However, ageing comes with many challenges. The diminishing of physical and mental abilities, loss of independence, health problems, social isolation, financial limitation, age discrimination, mistreatment and elder abuse are some of them.
We have heard more and more about elder abuse and exploitation in recent years than we did in the past. Does it mean that elder abuse is on the raise? Or is it a result of the increased aging populations worldwide or just of elder abuse is gaining more visibility?
Elder abuse can have different forms as neglect, willful deprivation, physical, verbal, sexual, emotional, financial abuse, and can happen anywhere and by anyone. Signs of elder abuse may not be immediately obvious or may be overlooked. Any mistreatment of older adults, whether it is robbing them of their dignity, abusing them verbally, or neglecting their physical or emotional welfare, is both reprehensible and unacceptable.
Elder abuse is now recognized internationally as an extensive and serious problem worldwide. It is more widespread than many of us realize. Based on the available evidence, WHO estimates that about 16% of people 60 years and older are subjected to abuse. However, the actual number is likely to be much higher because only a fraction of elder abuse cases comes to the light. Elder abuse is a growing problem that remains hidden from the general public due to the sensitivity of the topic, limited data collected and unreported cases.
As more people living longer, our society needs to adjust both, attitudes toward ageing and the systems that support wellbeing in later life. The elder abuse is preventable, therefore, a better understanding of what makes up elder abuse, and knowing how to report it, can help prevent injustice now and in the future. Raising public awareness, putting elder abuse into the light, educating seniors, professionals, caregivers, and the public on abuse are critical to the detection and prevention of elder abuse. Until we put more effort into it, elder abuse will continue to be highly prevalent, underdiagnosed and unnoticed.