WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY

Do you know that most of our elderly men and women are in pains because of one sickness or another? Do you know that the older adults are often abused, neglected, and even exploited? Do you know that most of the elderly ones are often abandoned in the village with little or no care? Do you know that most of those who are not receiving their pensions today are elderly ones? Most of them have even died without receiving their gratuity! Do you even know that most of the working class and even leaders in our society today are elderly ones who are old enough to retire? The worst abuse against elderly ones is to give them load that they load or position that they are not strong enough to carry. By the way, do you know that we are all potential elders? Do even know that the way we handle the elders of our generation will determine how the younger generation will handle us, especially when we becomes elders?

 According to the United Nation's declaration on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, "Elder abuse is a global social issue which affects the health and human rights of millions of older persons around the world, and an issue which deserves the attention of the international community."

To address some of these burning issues, the UN general assembly, in its resolution 66/127, has declared June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. It is a day to create awareness and also say no to most of the abuses against the elderly ones in the society.

Most of our elders are going through the following types of abuses:
Physical Abuse: The use of physical force which often result in injury or physical pain against the elderly ones. It also include, kicking, hitting, striking, beating, pushing, shaking, pinching, slapping and burning of any part of the body of an elderly person.

Emotional Abuse: causes emotional pain, distress or anguish. This includes verbal assaults, intimidation, humiliation, threats, insults, harassment and treating senior citizens like children.

Neglect: Has to do with the withdrawal of care to the elderly ones. With urbanization, which has resulted  to the younger ones trooping out of the villages to the cities most of the elderly one are neglected at home where they are suffering loneliness.

Financial Exploitation: Non-payment of elders' pension and gratuity as at when due is a typical example of financial exploitation. Financial elder abuse also include cashing checks without authorization; forging signatures; stealing or misusing money or possessions; coercing or deceiving an elderly person into signing a document; and improperly using a guardianship,

Abandonment: Abandonment is the total desertion of an elderly person. It occurs when a designated caretaker leaves an elderly person to fend for himself. It also has to do with leaving an elderly at a nursing home or even village without visit or any caregiver.

AS WE CELEBRATE World Elder Abuse Awareness Day WE PRAY FOR ALL OUR ELDERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO ARE FACING ONE ABUSE OR ANOTHER. MAY GOD DELIVER THEM AND PROVIDE FOR THEM IN JESUS NAME - AMEN!