Embrace the elderly campaign rolls out
There is a responsibility on us all to empower and protect older persons in our communities
WITH elderly people often targeted, Brighton Beach SAPS continues its 16 Days of Activism campaign by educating people on abuse of the elderly.
On Monday, 30 November, 1,250 ‘embrace the elderly’ brochures developed by communications officer, Captain Louise Le Roux were handed out Wentworth Hospital and local shopping malls.
“There is a responsibility on us all to empower and protect older persons in our communities. We should also aim to maintain their status, rights, well-being, safety and security. This can only be achieved through reporting the abuse of older persons,” said Capt Le Roux.
Included in her education campaign was the description of elderly abuse, as outlined by the Older Persons Act (13 of 2006):
(a) ‘physical abuse’ means any act or threat of physical violence towards an older person;
(b) ‘sexual abuse’ means any conduct that violates the sexual integrity of an older person;
(c) ‘psychological abuse’ means any pattern of degrading or humiliating conduct towards an older person, including:
(i) repeated insults, ridicule or name calling;
(ii) repeated threats to cause emotional pain; and
(iii) repeated invasion of an older person’s privacy, liberty, integrity or security;
(d) ‘economic abuse’ means
(i) the deprivation of economic and financial resources to which an older person is entitled under any law;
(ii) the unreasonable deprivation of economic and financial resources which the older person requires out of necessity; or
(iii) the disposal of household effects or other property that belongs to the older person without the older person’s consent.
Brighton Beach SAPS management thanks Wentworth Hospital, Hillside Mall and Bluff Towers allowing them to host their campaign and Capt Le Roux for creating the partnerships, project and teaching aids. She, along with Warrant Officer Anton Mnyandu, Men for Change EXCO and Station Campion, Women’s Network, and Reservist Avril Fabre, are thanked for their participation during the operational activities.
