The gem of every family and the pride of every community is no doubt the elderly. They play a pivotal role which many times is only realised and understood upon their passing. They amazingly keep their families together and offer the most practical advice and guidance when called on to do so. Yet sadly, they are also the victims of abuse, insults and ridicule which many times stems from their very own families and societies.

It is to this end that annually the 15th of June is commemorated as Elder Abuse Awareness Day, to highlight the predicament which these innocent souls encounter in their daily lives.

Addressing Elder Abuse
Between 2019 and 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 38%, from 1 billion to 1.4 billion, globally outnumbering youth, and this increase will be the greatest and the most rapid in the developing world, we therefore need to realise and recognize that greater attention needs to be paid to the specific challenges affecting older persons, including in the field of human rights.

Elder abuse is a global public health, human rights, and criminal justice problem. It goes beyond, socioeconomic classes, regions, languages, and ethnicities, but remains understudied, especially in developing countries with limited resources. Available evidence suggests that elder abuse is prevalent, predictable, costly, and sometimes fatal.

Due to underreporting, elder abuse is considered a hidden problem globally. Only 4% of cases are believed to be reported and as many as 1 in 6 persons 60 years and older are said to have experienced some form of abuse. Persons with significant health concerns, cognitive impairment and who are frail are more vulnerable to abuse, where 2 out of 3 older persons living with dementia have been said to have experienced abuse. The majority of research done on elder abuse globally is based in high-income countries, with not enough research investigating the culturally specific forms of abuse against older persons in low- and middle income contexts.

In South Africa, research on elder abuse is limited with no nationally representative studies, with abuse of specifically older persons living with dementia being hidden and largely unknown. South African policies, such as the Older Person’s Act (no.13 of 2006) adopt an ‘active ageing’ philosophy that promotes the active participation of older persons in their communities and decision-making, and acknowledges the need for multi-disciplinary responses to provide care and protection for persons vulnerable to elder abuse. Despite these policy provisions, South Africa is plagued by widespread poverty, unemployment and inequality were the majority of people (76%) are living in poverty.

Older persons are also deemed more vulnerable to financial exploitation and hardships, as their state pensions are often the main (or only) source of household income, often sustaining entire families.

Therefore, social disorder, dysfunctional family life and a lack of income for economically viable youth in South Africa has led to older persons becoming targets for abuse and exploitation. The effects of poverty and dysfunction has been linked to increased family- and caregiver stress and subsequent risk for elder abuse, especially in the context of care-dependent relationships.