Lead Editor—Newsgathering
ryan.bachoo@cnc3.co.tt
Founder and president of the Geriatric Society of T&T (GSTT) Dr Lavanyakumari Thondavada is urging senior citizens who are suffering abuse to come forward and get help.
She made the call while leading an event to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in the courtyard of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Port-of-Spain.
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is marked on June 15 annually. The theme for this year’s commemoration is “Spotlight on Older Persons in Emergencies.”
The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse and the World Health Organization at the United Nations (UN) launched the first World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15, 2006, to unite communities around the world in raising awareness about elder abuse.
Scores of elderly at the event had their blood pressure and blood sugar tested and were also serenaded by musician Jaydon Kalipersad.
Dr Thondavada said there is a lack of data in T&T on elder abuse and the victims to come forward.
“Most of the time, they hide the information. We have to ask individually what type of abuses they are having and we have to assist them in a proper way and we have to refer them to the medical and social workers who will give further guidance on the support. Most of them, they don’t know the available resources,” she said.
Dr Thondavada said it is difficult to say whether enough is being done to protect T&T’s elderly from abuse in the absence of statistics.
She cited global figures which show that one in six elderly persons suffer abuse and two out of three abuse victims are women. Globally, 617 million elderly people are abused.
Dr Thondavada said proper investigations must be done each month in care homes and homes for the aged to detect elder abuse. Healthcare professionals also have a responsibility to assess the elderly properly to look for signs of abuse, she added.
Executive director of GSTT Father Martin Sirju underscored the need to protect the dignity of the elderly.
“The elderly constitute the historical memory of the family. Whatever has happened in a family is passed on through elders so they are bearers of wisdom and stories which they pass on to others,” he said.