THE Association for the Aged (Tafta) has sent out a call to action to community bodies in the field of the elder care in Durban to join them in planning a multi-stakeholder approach to educate residents on elder abuse.
“Last month, there were not one, but two tragic incidents where elders have been left with a sense of hopelessness and isolation, leading to disturbing fatalities. As I read reports on these deaths, they invoked in me a sense of urgency to act with the ultimate goal of ensuring that we can collectively find some solutions to support those elders in desperate need within our communities,” said Tafta CEO Fermada Shamam.
She said the organisation would hold various dialogue sessions around the city to address the scourge of elder abuse. This year once again, the sessions will eventually culminate in an awareness walk on 14 June to commemorate World Elder Abuse Day which is on 15 June.
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“This year we’ve decided to host the awareness session in Wentworth following our experiences of rising levels of abuse being cited, but not formally reported, in the area. Our social work team sees as many as four abuse cases per month and approximately 50 per cent of those emanate from this area,” said Shamam.
The Department of Social Development social worker Raylene Meth, who accompanied Tafta at the awareness programme explained that challenges around elder abuse in the area where extensive, with financial, physical and other forms of elder abuse being rife.
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The walk will start at the Austerville Community Centre before proceeding to the local SAPS office, and return to the centre where a short elder abuse awareness programme will be run.
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