by Jing Li
June 2, 2008
BETWEEN 100 and 200 thousand elderly Australians have suffered abuse yet only 30 cases were reported last year, according to the Aged Care Assessment Teams(ACAT) study.
“The elderly are some of our society’s most vulnerable members, especially those suffering dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. Physical, psychological, financial or sexual neglect or violence, which takes advantage of this vulnerability, is all forms of elder abuse,” said Mr. Brian Herd, Administration Support officer of The Elder Abuse Prevention Unit (EAPU) in Queensland.
“Many find it hard to admit that the perpetrators of elderly abuse can be, and often are, those closest to the person, whether their professional or personal carer, their family or trusted friends. Elderly people may also feel isolated from society or live alone, making them easy prey for abusers.”
Denise Bradley, a clinical nurse of Ozcare on Aged care, said she also heard some senior people were neglected or abused in nursing home, such as bedsores, pressure sores, cuts, bruises, burns, or fractures, which are extremely terrible.
“I think the government should enforce mandatory police checks for residential aged care workers, and better training on abuse detection, that should be an effective measure for protect the elderly,” she said.
Cassandra Clark, a Family Law Specialist of ABKJ, said: “Those responding to abuse or violence in this aged group will often experience reluctance on the part of the old people to seek action against an abuser, particularly when the abuser is a family member such as their adult son or daughter. This reluctance may be due to shame or guilt or may be the natural desire of a parent to keep their child out of trouble with the law.”
“However, there are a number of complex issues that can impact on individual’s willingness to seek assistance.”
SOURCE: GNews
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