The most fragile and vulnerable people can be victims of physical or psychological abuse by those who take care of them. Very often, however, the incidents are not reported
The frail and non self-sufficient elderly person, therefore defenceless, whose life depends on the help of others, it is easier to be abused
by those who should take care of her (caregiver, carer, health worker). According to theWorld Health Organization about 1 in 6 elderly people in the community (nearly 4 in 6 in residential care) experience some form of abuse: psychological abuse (insults and threats), physicist (pushing, slapping, jerking), financial (theft with scams and economic exploitation) or sexual, chemical restraint (administration of sedatives to avoid calls for assistance) and bodily (wrists or legs tied to bed, wheelchair or chair confinement), negligence (lack of care and nutrition).
Among whom is it more frequent
«It is frequent above all among subjects with cognitive decline and those of female sex” reports Anna Castaldocoordinator of the Group on the prevention of maltreatment of the elderly of the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (Sigg) and director of the degree course in Nursing at the University of Milan at the Don Gnocchi Foundation.
The physical signals
How to recognize the signs of abuse? «A first sign is the neglect of hygiene and appearance says Castaldo. When the person has a bad smell, his clothes are dirty, his hair is battered, his mouth is not washed, his dentures are full of food residues ». Another symptom of carelessness could be the very dry lips: «It means that the old man is drinking little» warns Castaldo. Who also invites us to pay attention to situations in which «the person he does not wear glasses, dentures or hearing aids as he usually does he needs, and these tools aren’t even at his fingertips.” Do not overlook physical signs, such as scratches, bruises, pressure sores
caused by protracted immobility in which the elderly person has been confined to bed or in a sitting position.
And the psychological ones
On a psychological level, the violence received can manifest itself with «loss of interestsadness, passivity and lack of talkativeness out of fear of exposing themselves to threats of punishment later on. You should get the suspicion that something is wrong if, in your presence, the caregiver always answers on behalf of the elderly person to avoid his outburst», continues Castaldo. Also pay attention to the sudden lack of money from the client’s bank account and to disappearance of objects and personal clothes. “If the elderly man says that he wants to leave that place and complains about those who look after him, it is better to investigate and not think that he is always and only a whim,” he adds.
Risk factors
Some conditions increase the likelihood of aggressions occurring: «Close coexistence which favors caregiver burnout, i.e. a state of physical and mental stress due to excessive workload; social isolation and low income of the elderly, which make them needier than others; when the family member referred to for assistance suffers from psychiatric disorders or has an addiction to alcohol, drugs or gambling, or is financially dependent on the patient”.
Failure to recognize the caregiver’s work
Another risk factor isthe little value recognized to the caregiver», he claims Mark Trabucchi, psychiatry and president of the Italian Association of Psychogeriatrics. “If you are treated like a slave, poorly paid and not in good standing, you will despise your role and you will have less respect for the client. The life of the elderly is a constant battle against the aggressiveness of the years and the strength to resist comes from the respect that the person has for himself and from what others give him”. The consequence of repeated abuse is a major risk of premature death. «The helpless old man sinks into the anguish of loneliness and distrust of others. He loses all hope, thinking that no one loves him anymore and little by little giving up on living »concludes Trabucchi.
The premise is to think about the well-being of those who assist them
Preventing the phenomenon of elder abuse involves first of all protect the well-being of caregivers, carers and health workers. “It is necessary that they can benefit from training courses to be able to manage stress and understand when it’s time to take a break, perhaps asking for help from someone else, without being ashamed to do so – he declares Anna Castaldo, coordinator of the Group on the Prevention of Elderly Abuse of Sigg —. In times of difficulty, they must be able to count on psychological support and mutual help groups”. To find out if support and training services are offered in your area, you should contact the Municipality or the local health authority. There are also the so-called temporary “relief hospitalizations” in social welfare structures dedicated to the non self-sufficient person to give relief to the caregiver and respond to critical situations.
Do not discriminate against the elderly
“It would be useful set up a national telephone number to which elderly victims of abuse and anyone who suspects abuse can call for help» suggests Castaldo. Finally, it is decisive work on the common mentality. Considering an elderly person who has lost autonomy as a burden leads to discriminating approaches towards him. “We need intergenerational campaigns and programs in schools to fight ageism,” says Castaldo.
«Getting old is not a disease. Institutions should look at longevity as a value and not an economic burden, ensuring that health services are not only concerned with the treatment of diseases but also with maintaining the functional status of the elderly. This means ensuring rehabilitation activities during any hospital intervention and on the territory, so that the person can recover and maintain autonomy for as long as possible in movements and the ability to carry out normal daily activities, such as washing, dressing, preparing food, shopping» underlines Andrea Ungardirector of Geriatrics at the Careggi hospital in Florence and president Mr.
The initiative
Supporting the family in finding the most suitable family assistant, even for short periods: this is the goal of “Project Minding”born in 2009 in 5 municipalities in the Bologna hinterland (Casalecchio di Reno, Valsamoggia, Zola Predosa, Monte San Pietro, Sasso Marconi) by Asc Insieme, the public company that manages social services. The service provides training for professional and family carers of 40 hours and has set up a register from which it draws for selection. Once the right combination is found, the family is put in contact with acontracted employment agency who will take care of the stipulation of the contract and the pay slip. The relationship between caregiver and patient is monitored by a social worker. They also offer support groups for family and patient caregivers and mutual aid for carers. The service has now been partially extended to all the municipalities of the metropolitan city of Bologna.
March 24, 2023 (change March 24, 2023 | 06:39)
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