Thursday, September 27, 2007

Stop Elder Abuse and Neglect


Today I join thousands of bloggers around the world in BlogCatalog’s Blogging for a Great Cause Challenge : Bloggers Against Abuse September 27th, 2007

The Outcome we are after is to be part of the largest group of bloggers to ever blog about an important cause, all on the same day.

Almost every country in the world is facing an aging population. As the elderly population increases in size, there is concern that more cases of elder abuse and neglect may surface.

When a person in a position of trust jeopardizes the health or well being of an elderly person through any action or inaction, it is defined as Elder Abuse and Neglect.

The 5 main Elder Abuse and Neglect:

PHYSICAL
Infliction of physical pain and injury. This includes direct, aggressive behaviours such as bodily assault, torture, physical confinement and sexual abuse.

PSYCHOLOGICAL
Verbal aggression such as intimidation, humiliation, making unreasonable demands and deliberate ignoring. This includes actions that cause fear of violence, isolation or deprivation, feelings of shame, harassment, threat and insults.

NEGLECT
Deliberate refusal to meet basic needs, ie failure to provide food, shelter, clothing, medical care and financial support.

ABANDONMENT
Deliberate attempt to desert elderly person.

FINANCIAL
Exploitation and / or misuse of funds or resources. It includes misappropriation of money, valuables or property.

Vulnerable and powerless, elders who are abused or exploited often suffer in silence. It can increase in intensity and frequency over time. It may create permanent and personally devastating impact on the victims. If left untreated, it may even lead to grave consequences. It is thus important for us to understand the causes as well as contributing factors of elder abuse.

If you know of any such elder who needs your help, please act now. Stop Elder Abuse! For Singaporeans, you can contact the following for help :

1) Family Service Centre Helpline 1800 – 838 0100

2) Singapore Action Group of Elders (SAGE) 1800 – 353 8633

3) Seniors Helpline: 1800 555 5555.

It provides information on eldercare services, counselling services for seniors or anyone with issues concerning seniors.


(info source : Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports)

19 comments:

  1. Is finger counting (one... one and a half... one and three quarter... two.....) a type of abuse ah?

    Haha... just kidding!

    S T O P
    T H E
    A B U S E !

    ReplyDelete
  2. oi! that's elder abuse too!

    hahaha..... my funny Angel,

    FINGER COUNTING IS NOT ABUSE!! I say wan.

    That is FUN.... at least for me. kakaka....

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  3. Funny..I've always had the impression that Singapore takes good care of their senior citizens.... ?

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  4. Finger Counting is INTIMIDATION by NUMBERS!!! LOL, look at what you did to mine last night!!! All Blue!! I want Mohair Sling..

    ReplyDelete
  5. motts,
    You mean our Government ar?

    We don't have much public welfare as they think it would be a strain on the country. So the elders still have to depend on their children or themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  6. LB,
    The truth is I can only count to 2. kakaka....

    hahahaha..... and lucky you only have two. Mohair sling!? Hot (panas) lah! Now they're only blue...., later they die, HOW!???

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh, by the way, there is a Seniors Helpline: 1800 555 5555.
    It provides information on eldercare services, counselling services for seniors or anyone with issues concerning seniors.

    ReplyDelete
  8. woow what a great post!!
    according to news, most of elders are abused by their sons in my country.
    its really sad that not only children but also adults are disrespectful to their parents.
    having no food, no medical care, they must be really desparate.
    you've got to be nice to jaymes-chan :D

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  9. yes yes, stop the abuse!! i think abuse against the old, weak and young is absolutely sickening!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Oceanskies,
    Thanks for the info, I've put it in my post.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Niki-chan,
    I don't know what's coming over the kids and young people these days. Some may not be ill-bred, but they really have no respect for their elders.

    Yes, I'll be nice to Jaymes-chan. But he still has to be extra nice to me because of my properties, shares and cash. :D

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  12. ehon,
    Right. Stop the abuse.

    Let's get back to Facebook. hehehe.....

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  13. Respect your elders!! I mean we don't have to follow all there advice....especially the senile ones, but a little R E S P E C T and just being kind can go a long way.

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  14. Old folks are vulnerable and sensitive. We young folks should be more considerate and look after them. We will be in their age one day too.

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  15. Great to see another blogger joining in the fight to prevent Elder Abuse. It is a growing global problem.
    I would like to invite you and your viewers to visit a site that detailed a horrible EA case in Australia.

    http://www.inthenameofthemother.com
    (just copy and paste on address bar of your browser.
    Show your support for the victim (77 years old) who is struggling to make sense of the whole saga. Leave your comments.

    ReplyDelete