SHANTI MARIA FONSECA
We are living longer. But are we prepared for old age? World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), observed annually on June 15 by the United Nations (UN), serves as a global call to recog nise and address elder abuse as both a human rights violation and a growing policy challenge in ageing societies. Officially recognised by the UN General Assembly in 2011, it serves as a call to action to protect the rights, safety and dignity of the elderly. It represents the one day in the year when the whole world voices its opposition to the abuse and suffering inflict ed on some of our older gener ations. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in six adults globally experienc es some form of abuse. This malady remains severe ly under-reported, as victims often fear retaliation or stigma tisation. Many who experience abuse do nothing about it, often keeping it a guarded secret. El der abuse is a problem that ex ists in both developing and de veloped countries. Abuse of senior citizens is a highly prevalent issue in Goa, which has the second-highest population of elderly people in India. Nearly a quarter of el ders face abuse in Goa. Reports indicate high levels of emotion al, financial and physical abuse, alongside widespread under-re porting. Studies show that 70 per cent of elderly women in the State have experienced emo tional and psychological abuse, while 65 per cent have faced financial abuse. Goa records high levels of discrimination against older women due to widowhood.
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Over half of elders report feeling disrespected at home, while a significant num ber report experiencing phys ical abuse such as beating and slapping. Senior citizens can contact the national helpline dedicated to assisting them on 14567. Goa Police run a dedicated helpline on 1090. The All Goa Senior Cit izen Federation takes up cases of elder harassment and assists with filing complaints. The law provides a legal framework un der the Maintenance and Wel fare of Parents and Senior Citi zens Act. To care for those who once cared for us is the highest hon our. Treat your elders as you too will grow old one day. Our elders deserve respect, safety, dignity and unconditional love. Ageing is a natural process, but abuse is not. Let us build a world where growing older means growing safer. Nature it self teaches us that age demands dignity and honour. The older the redwoods, the more majes tic they become. The older the wine and the cheese, the more they are sought after for their taste. Should we not hold, then, that the older a man or woman becomes, the more they should be appreciated by others? In the past, elders were highly respected in families. They were seen as wise and important members of society.
People val ued their advice, cared for them with love and respected their decisions. Today, things have changed, with many elders feel ing ignored and unimportant in their own homes. Home and family are supposed to be our safe haven. Yet, very often, they are the places where we find the deepest heartache. Abuse can include the misuse of assets, forcing seniors to give up property, withholding funds, ne glecting essential needs such as medicines, food and water, and, in some cases, forcing them out of their own homes. Elder abuse is the mistreatment, neglect, exploitation or manipulation of older people. The Fifth Commandment in the Bible explicitly stipulates that we honour our parents. Why, then, is the number of old age homes growing in India and around the world? Nowadays, parents spend huge sums of money on their children’s ed ucation and secure future. Yet many younger generations be come selfish. Once their needs are met, they forget the support given by their parents and aban don them all too easily. Our elders have a wealth of wisdom to share.
To forget the elderly is to ignore the wisdom of the years. Ageing is an ex traordinary process through which you become the person you should always have been. Remember, growing old is not a disease or a burden to humanity. It is a right and a privilege grant ed by God. Truly, age is beautiful. Respecting elders brings blessings in life. Respect your el ders and the world will respect you. Most of what we have today is knowledge passed on by our elders, experiences that we ab sorb and rarely reject. Respect for one’s elders was once one of the cornerstones of civilised behaviour. All human beings are born with equal and inalienable rights and have the right to age with dignity, respected by their families and communities, free from neglect, abuse and vio lence. Do not regret growing older. It is a privilege denied to many. It is the advanced stage of one’s intellectual development and journey. It is an indication of maturity, increased experience and wisdom. The well-known saying, “Old is Gold”, expresses this perfectly. Elder abuse is a punishable offence. It involves the mistreat ment, neglect, exploitation or abandonment of an older adult. Because it often occurs within a relationship of trust, it violates human rights and is treated as a severe form of family or domes tic violence. Crimes against senior citi zens are a growing issue that requires urgent attention in our society.
By 2050, there will be 64 countries where older people make up more than 30 per cent of the population. Questions also arise as to how older adults will navigate a society that is rapidly digitalising. The growth of the older population means that the number of retirees will increase relative to the actual working population. The demo graphic pressures of an ageing population are already being felt across the world, including in India. This remains a major concern for lawmakers and pol icymakers. When older people are regard ed as expendable, society fails to recognise the importance of en suring dignified, supportive and non-abusive living conditions for every older person. Each stage of life has its own beauty and significance. Old age provides us with the opportuni ty to enjoy life more fully. Freed from the responsibilities and pressures of younger years, we can savour the beauty of the world, cherish our relationships and dedicate time to activities and hobbies that bring us gen uine happiness. It is a phase of life in which we can prioritise self-care, personal growth and the pursuit of long-held dreams. Growing old is not something we should dread, because it sim ply means we have been bless ed with more time on earth to appreciate the special things that happen to us.
It is a badge of honour earned through a life time of experiences, challenges and triumphs. It is a stage where wisdom blossoms, experience flourishes and maturity reaches its peak. We observe that older people today are more visible, more active and more independent than ever before. They are liv ing longer and enjoying better health. However, as the popu lation of older people grows, so too does the hidden problem of abuse, exploitation and neglect. Every person, regardless of age, deserves to be safe from harm by those who live with them, care for them or come into day to-day contact with them. The notion that what happens at home is private can be a major factor in keeping an older per son trapped in an abusive or ne glectful situation.
Those outside the family who observe or sus pect abuse or neglect may fail to intervene because they believe it is “a family problem and none of my business”. Shame and em barrassment often make it dif ficult for older people to reveal abuse. They do not want others to know that such things happen within their family. We know that the wheel of life is constantly turning. It is through intergenerational con nections and mutual respect that we can foster a more har monious and compassionate so ciety. Remember, as you sow, so shall you reap. Today’s children will be tomorrow’s elders. (The writer is a social scien tist and a practising senior criminal lawyer.)
