prime news 쐽 THE STRAITS TIMES THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22 2009 PAGE A3
Abuse of seniors:
Blame it on
caregivers’ stress
Children may act out of
sheer frustration but have no
intention to hurt the elderly
BY THERESA TAN
ALMOST every evening, an elderly man would
complain to the police that his family had
locked him out of his house.
A case of abuse or a family at its wits’ end?
It transpired that the man’s family did so as
he had the habit of roaming the streets aimless-
ly and, while in the house, switching the stove
on and off. Afraid that he would set the house
on fire, his family members locked him out
when they went to work and let him back in
when they returned home.
The police referred the man to a centre that
helps victims of family violence, and a social
worker there advised his family to get him medi-
cal help.
As the social worker predicted, the reason
for the habits that stumped the man’s family
was that he had moderate dementia. Knowing
this, the family supervised the man more close-
ly, but as his condition deteriorated and they
could not cope, they sent him to a nursing
home.
Minister for Community Development,
Youth and Sports (MCYS), Dr Vivian
Balakrishnan, highlighted this real example yes-
terday in a symposium on family violence, as he
dwelt on the principles that should guide agen-
cies tackling the “scourge” of elderly abuse.
The first was to ask whether the family unit
is equipped with the knowledge and skills to
cope with the needs of the elderly. This is criti-
cal as seven in 10 of the elderly live with their
families and many are dependent on them for
their care. Of the 178 or so cases of abuse of the
elderly reported every year, about two-thirds –
or some 120 – of them were old people who suf-
fered at the hands of their own children.
“Abuse by caregivers, in some instances,
may reflect their inability to deal with the stress
and difficulties of care-giving, rather than mal-
ice,” Dr Balakrishnan said.
The example he gave illustrated the despair
faced by one such family. The action taken later
to help them – involving police, social workers
and health-care staff – demonstrated the other
principles he defined for dealing with elderly
abuse: A comprehensive approach, with mul-
ti-agencies collaborating to find a solution for
the victim and family.
While the number of abused seniors have re-
mained “small”, Dr Balakrishnan expects the
number to grow given the rapidly ageing popula-
tion. An MCYS spokesman said last year’s sta-
tistics showed that seniors aged 80 and older
were the most vulnerable to abuse. “The older
ones are more vulnerable as they are more de-
pendent on their children for their daily needs NUS social work assistant professor Sudha Nair was one of five recipients of the Family Violence Dialogue Group Appreciation
and less likely to speak out,” she added. Award. She had, over a span of nearly 10 years, helped a woman put behind an abusive relationship. ST PHOTOS: DESMOND LIM
Social workers interviewed say other reasons
for the abused elderly’s reluctance to report the
hurt they have suffered include sparing their Volunteer tells of Dr Nair said the woman, who is
in her 40s, put up with years of
fields, but they all helped to stem
family violence in their own way.
children shame or prison time. Often, the abuse
is reported by health-care workers, neighbours woman blinded abuse – until her neighbours
called the police, fearing that she
For example, Dr Thiow would
join social workers to assess the
and relatives.
Ms Chow Choy Yin – executive director of by her partner would be beaten to
death by the man.
health of elderly
people suspected of
Trans Centre, which helps victims of family vio- Even after the being ill-treated –
lence – agreed that many children take out
HER partner had blinded her and man was jailed, the and even treat them
their frustrations on their parents when they broken her bones – still she violence did not stop. for free. Once, she
are stressed, and not because they want to hurt
refused to leave him. He returned to haunt provided free
them. Instead, she got angry with her after he was treatment to a poor
She cited the case of a bachelor who gave up volunteer social worker Sudha released. To protect elderly man for six
his job to look after his bedridden mother, who Nair, who had tried to counsel her, the woman was
months.
suffers from dementia. The man, in his 40s, her.
eventually placed in a Mr Chua, 30,
had hit his mother at least once because he was
“To the woman, her partner is safe environment. recalled helping a
so worn out by having to see to her every need.
like a saviour. She believed he The other Hong Kong man in
Besides physical violence, abuse can take the
totally loved her,” said Dr Nair, an recipients of the his 60s who was left
form of neglect – by not taking them to the doc-
assistant professor of social work awards are Ms Wilma destitute here after
tor when they are ill or not giving them food.
at the National University of Ng, manager at his Singaporean wife
Then, there are those who cheat their parents
Singapore, who volunteers at the Kheng Chiu Happy Social worker Alvin Chua died and his son left
of their money.
Centre for Promoting Alternatives Lodge, general helped a homeless him.
Yesterday, a revised manual to manage fami- Hong Kong man find lodging
ly violence cases was released with new chap- to Violence. practitioner Thiow He found doctors
Gradually, over the course of Boon Yin, Mr Edwin and medical treatment. who treated the
ters on what staff at polyclinics, schools and
the Community Court should do when they nearly a decade, Dr Nair won the Quek, assistant man’s chronic health
woman over with her patience and director of Lakeside problems for free,
come across a victim.
If you need help, call the ComCare Helpline persistence. For her work, she was Family Service Centre, and Mr and even introduced him to a
one of five recipients of the Alvin Chua, senior social worker Hong Kong social worker who
on 1800-222-0000, the Centre for Promoting
Alternatives to Violence on 6555-0390 or Family Violence Dialogue Group at Safe@Trans. helped him find a place to live in
Safe@Trans on 6449-9088. Appreciation Award. Their jobs cut across various Hong Kong.
theresat@sph.com.sg