‘Most families respect elderly’

RAJISH Lutchman, pictured, chief executive of the Aryan Benevolent Home (ABH), said they catered for frail care as well as semi-frail and ambulant older people.

There are about 220 frail persons in care with about 210 semi-independent.

Forty-seven people are living independently at their facility in Clayton Gardens.

“From our interactions with the elderly, we have come across the aged being abandoned at provincial hospitals.

“There is also financial abuse, where once family members acquire ownership of property, the elderly are cast out and there is abuse of the old-age pension,” said Lutchman, who added that the aged also endured emotional and verbal abuse.

“They are chastised and abused by family members who are substance abusers, and on rare occasions there is serious physical abuse. Most times there is poor care, as often family members do not know how to provide (proper) care.”

Lutchman said that abuse was not a general crisis in the Indian community.

“Most families respect and acknowledge older people and see them as an asset. Of course there are rare cases like the recent matter in Silverglen (a son allegedly assaulted his father with a knuckle-duster) where things can go terribly wrong.

“By and large our value systems as a community are intact. One misnomer is that people ‘ dump’ elderly people at homes such as the ABH. This is true perhaps for about 10% of our intake.”

He said the following factors prevailed:

● Architectural barriers: a typical home in Chatsworth may have ablution facilities and living facilities on different levels, then it becomes almost impossible to provide effective care to someone who may have a stroke.

● Inability or incapacity to provide appropriate care.

● Poverty and difficult financial circumstances.

● Older people who do not have family or who may never have married or had children.

● Older people who live alone and after becoming chronically ill need 24-hour care.

● The need for specialised rehabilitation therapy.