Elderly abuse has become a growing concern

A TOTAL of 137 cases of elderly abuse have been reported to Western Cape social workers between 2021 and 2022 but this is not the true reflection of the interpersonal violence inflicted on older people daily.

Abuse of the elderly includes physical abuse, sexual abuse, psychological abuse and economic abuse.

National co-ordinator for the South African Older Persons Forum (SAOPF) Roedolf Kay said often the elderly were too afraid to report their abuser and did not want to face them in court.

“In many instances older persons are unwilling to testify because they do not want to see their children convicted of a crime or they are dependent on that child or relative.

“Facilities in courts for older persons to testify in-camera, as opposed to facing their abuser are also not always available. In one such case reported to us by a colleague the facility was unavailable, leaving the older person to testify directly facing her abuser.

“Old age homes are more of a controlled environment and reported cases of abuse follow the process with the DSD and within the home.

“Abuse perpetrated against older persons that live in their communities, with children or with relatives, however, often goes unreported because a lot of the time the older persons live with, are related (to) or dependent on the perpetrator.”

Kay called on police and social development to be more proactive when utilising the Older Persons Act.

“It is clear to the SAOPF that this Instruction has been largely disregarded by SAPS. In cases where medical practitioners suspect abuse-related injuries, it is their duty to report this.”

According to a 2022 report by the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in six people 60 years and older experience some form of abuse throughout the globe.

The WHO said that older people being abused by nursing staff and long-term care facilities are no different, with two in three staff reporting that they had committed abuse.