Respect urged for the elderly as report shows evidence of increase in abuse, abandonment

[webfact]

Respect urged for the elderly as report shows evidence of increase in abuse, abandonment

By THE NATION

 

File photo

 

ELDERLY people in Thailand are most at risk of abuse, abandonment and being duped out of money by their own children or those close to them, and the number of senior rape victims is also on the rise, according to a recent study that was revealed at a Bangkok seminar yesterday.
 

Chulalongkorn University nursing lecturer Jiraporn Kespichayawattana and the research team urged more gratitude and respect for the elderly.

 

The study said families must improve their connection with each other and honour the elderly, while communities should raise awareness of these issues and enlist volunteers to watch out for at-risk persons.

 

Meanwhile, state agencies must enforce laws and promote senior citizens as “the positive energy for the country’s development”, the study urged.

 

The study said the most frequent form of senior abuse was abandonment or lack of appropriate care as a result of their children’s financial problems.

 

It cited many cases of the elderly being left to stay alone due to their disabilities, while some were “released in public places”, prompting officials to take them into state care. 

 

The second most frequent issue was physical assault, mostly at the hands of the person’s own family members or caregivers who had stress or drug-abuse problems.

 

Some cases involved attacks on seniors by relatives who wanted to take their money. The study said assaults on seniors by outsiders usually involved robberies targeting vulnerable elderly people who lived alone. 

 

 

The study noted an increase in rape and sexual harassment of elderly women, most of which were committed by family members, especially grandsons or nephews. The culprits in these cases mostly cited alcohol as a trigger.

 

Another emerging issue over the past decade was the duping of seniors – mostly by their own children, family members or other close persons – into signing money transactions or contracts or into buying substandard goods, the study said.

 

The researchers believed there were more cases of abuse and rights violation against the elderly but the victims did not wish to speak out for fear of creating problems for their children and other family members.

 

The study, sponsored by the Foundation of Thai Gerontology Research and Development Institute and the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, was based on news reports of violence against the elderly, statistics from centres and homes under the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security, and the Royal Thai Police, and information from social workers and elderly caregivers nationwide. 

 

According to Mahidol University’s Thai population watch website (www.thailandometers.mahidol.ac.th), Thailand currently has 11.6 million people aged over 65.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30339404

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-02-22

[Get Real]

Yes, that´s great! And everywhere you go, you will hear from the people, that "jai" and "ta" is the most important figures in their life, and that they and their grandparents should be treated with the highest of respect.

[RichardColeman]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

ELDERLY people in Thailand are most at risk of abuse, abandonment and being duped out of money by their own children or those close to them

I mean, where else will you get money for that much needed video game or phone. 

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

The study noted an increase in rape and sexual harassment of elderly women, most of which were committed by family members, especially grandsons or nephews

that is nauseating; and we share the streets with them

[jaltsc]

"...more gratitude and respect for the elderly."

 

Finally, someone standing up for those of us on retirement visas.

[BEVUP]

obviously a problem through out the country as the elderly also need their full pension to survive

That they would respect

[soalbundy]

what can the elderly expect, not a decent watch among them. Get that Thai Niyom started as quickly as possible.

 

This is probably more of a city dweller's problem, in the villages in the countryside not so much, there are still the old fashioned customs at play and society shaming works. An elderly couple in my village were down on their uppers but had two sons who worked in Bangkok,the village chief rang them up and gave them a good b******ing, money was sent within a few days.

[soalbundy]

5 hours ago, Get Real said:

Yes, that´s great! And everywhere you go, you will hear from the people, that "jai" and "ta" is the most important figures in their life, and that they and their grandparents should be treated with the highest of respect.

This is a world wide problem, if you are old without money you are pathetic. Even in Japan it has been made a criminal offence not to visit your parents on a regular basis. The adult children are stressed out with work and their own children,welcome to the modern world. A pathologist in Germany once said that if a candle was lit at the gravestone for every elderly person who had been quietly done away with for the inheritance or because they were a burden the grave yard would be as bright as day at night time. Modern values, who needs them.

[sanemax]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The study noted an increase in rape and sexual harassment of elderly women, most of which were committed by family members, especially grandsons or nephews. The culprits in these cases mostly cited alcohol as a trigger.

Yes, but how much of a problem is it ?

Is it a significant increase or just an increase from 1 to 2 ?

 

[Lupatria]

6 hours ago, Get Real said:

Yes, that´s great! And everywhere you go, you will hear from the people, that "jai" and "ta" is the most important figures in their life, and that they and their grandparents should be treated with the highest of respect.

Are we there yet?

Edited February 22, 2018 by Lupatria