Shocking: Gujarat University study finds 50% senior citizens face abuse

Nearly 50% senior citizens living in Ahmedabad face verbal and financial abuse at home. Revealed in an exhaustive study undertaken by Gujarat University, 55% of them felt lonely and looked for companionship whereas 40% had to request for money from their children for medical treatment.

The study on 'An evaluation of abused elder people residing within Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) periphery: A study with reference to socio-economic, psychological and health issues' was undertaken by Dr Pradeep Prajapati, Professor, Head, Department of Social Work, Gujarat University along with Dr Vaishali Acharya and Shadaab Kazi and 60 students who interviewed nearly 4000 senior citizens belonging to middle class.

Under the socio-economic status covering nearly 763 elders, it was found that many of the elders were victims of verbal and financial abuse. Their family members would not talk to them properly and did not spend any money for them. Few also had gone through physical and mental abuse. Nearly 39.61% of them admitted of facing verbal abuse whereas 30.85% faced financial abuse by the person taking care of them. Similarly, psychological and health aspect was also surveyed taking more people into consideration.

Said Prajapati, "Elders also felt isolated from their family and society due to modern and advancing world and could not connect with others on their level. Hence 55% of them looked to connect with more people. Many did not even have enough funds, less pension after retirement due to which they could not even fulfil their basic needs. 65.77% of the elders did not have money to buy whatever they wished whereas 62.43% of the elders said that life gets them down and there is nothing for them."

The postgraduate students visited the slum areas of AMC peripheries. Only 35.74% of them agreed that they can afford to do things they enjoy, 40% had to request for money from their children for medical treatment. Prajapati added, "To our shock, we found that 22% of elders do not go to the hospital as either they are lonely or do not have money and prefer to die. We found that the awareness of government schemes among elders is very less. Even neighbours did not support or behave well with them. 14% of them lived alone despite having children whereas 25% lived with their relatives and not with their children."

The data were collected from February 2017 to March 2018. The data was collected personally by the students interviewing the elder population of selected areas. This is the primary report, the team will soon be submitting a detailed ward-wise report.

One of the major findings of the study was the increased crime rate against the elderly populace on the streets and within the confines of their homes, robbery and dacoit being the primary reasons for their attack. Proper police patrolling seems to be the urgent need of this hour along with the implementation of the instruments that are already in place, concluded the study.

SUGGESTIONS

• Police patrolling
• Employment sector should provide job facilities
• Transport, hospitals, sanitation should be in every areas-wards
• Old age homes at various places
• Youth should be encouraged to spend more time with elders

ASPECTS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION

• Sociological aspects
• Economical aspects
• Psychological aspects
• Policy
• Dependency of the elders on others
• Health and morbidity
• Occupation and sources of income
• Awareness and use of government schemes

FINDINGS

• 82.22% of the elders said that having their children’s around is important for them
   
• 65.77%  of the elders didn’t have the money to buy what they wanted
   
• 62.43% of the elders said that life gets them down and there’s nothing for them
   
• 62.43% of the elders believed that pain affects their well being
   
• 27.19% respondents said that their son is the head of the family
   
• 58.95% of the respondents were financially dependent on their sons
   
• 50.20% of the respondents depended on others for taking health care
   
• 34.77% and 34.64% of the respondents said that they needed help of others for going out to social gathering and religious gatherings
   
• 33.46% of the respondents were dependent on others for going to native places
   
• 55.42% depend on their son for going out
   
• 39.61% of the respondents said that they faced verbal abuse
   
• 30.85% said that they faced financial abuse by the person taking care of them
   
• 28.76% did not know about any of the government schemes
   
• 53.07% went to public health centres
   
• 39.22% opted for private treatment