‘Elderly prone to abuse by own family members’

THE elderly are prone to emotional, sexual, physical, mental and financial abuse by their own family members, says Social Welfare Department and Golden Age Home officer Luke Keteiwai.

While speaking at an elderly citizens awareness campaign in Lautoka on Wednesday, he said many residents of the Golden Age Home had gone through such abuse.

“Emotional abuse is the most common one because they are called names and made fun of by their own relatives,” he said.

“There are some instances where the elderly citizen is so emotionally stressed that they call us and request to be moved to the Golden Age Home.

“The neglect that they face at the hands of their own family members is enough to drive them out of their homes.”

He said there were presently 54 residents at the Golden Age Home.

“These residents have gone through some sort of abuse.

“One common type of abuse that we are coming across more often now is financial abuse.

“Most of our senior citizens are receiving assistance under the pension scheme and we find that their younger family members are taking that money away from them. Some have even had their money stolen.”

He explained that senior citizens were an important part of any community.

“They were the ones that took care of us and looked after us. It is only right that we look after them too. We don’t want our elderly parents to be abandoned and left to fend for themselves.”

Western Disabled People’s Association secretary Jyotish Singh said elderly people with disability were more susceptible to abuse.

“Most of them are neglected which is a sad situation to be in for any member of our community,” he said.

“A disabled person has their own needs but when that person is elderly, they are more likely to be abused. The Western Disabled People’s Association works with the relevant organisations to help these people and their families and we want to urge family members and relatives to contact us if they need assistance in looking after their disabled loved ones.”

The awareness program was organised and co-ordinated by the Social Welfare Department, Ministry of Health, Fiji Red Cross Society, Empower Pacific and the Western Disabled People’s Association.