Abused elderly urged to consider old-age homes

Alex’s elderly residents were urged to report any abuse they may encounter from their own family and other residents to the police and care organisations so that they can be helped to live in peace.
This was the message at a workshop to empower senior citizens. The workshop at the Roman Catholic Church was facilitated by the City’s Department of Social Development, NPOs Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training (Adapt), Gauteng Age in Action and other stakeholders.
The elderly are sometimes the target of emotional, financial and physical abuse from their children who prey on their meagre pensions, social grants, and sometimes dispossess them of their homes.
The department’s Lebogang Mathope said similar workshops were conducted citywide by the department’s elderly citizen’s unit to ensure the protection of these vulnerable people.
“We want to improve their wellness, protect them from abuse and encourage them to report any dispossession and theft from their homes by their children under the guise of mental incapacity or other devious attempts,” Mathope said. She said in some instances, the children made unauthorised withdrawals from their elderly parent’s grants leaving them to struggle throughout the month.
“We also inform them of other resources they can access, like the care dependency, foster care and disability grants to support dependent grandchildren and others under their care.”
Adapt’s Jacqui Chauke said they were concerned about the abuse of the elderly. “It’s important to ensure they reside, rest peacefully and feel free in their own homes, are not judged [because of] their physical and mental state and that their rights are protected at all times,” she said.
Chauke advised those who were abused to consider going to old-age homes where they will receive appropriate and loving care among their peers and reduce stress and ill health. She said Adapt also provided the elderly with counselling to deal with trauma related to sickness, death and bereavement, in addition to support in instances of domestic violence.
Details: Lebogang Mathope; 082 467 9442.