Message of hope for 77 mn elderly people in India

New Delhi, June 16: Respect is better than food or drink. A message of hope went out to around 77 million elderly people in India as the Second Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day was observed yesterday.

Almost a third of elderly victims are abused in their own home and almost as many are abused in residential care. The most common type of abuse was physical, followed by acts of neglect or omission.

In 20 percent of abuse cases, the victim was abused by a carer, partner or family member.

The International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) designated 15 June 2006 as the first ever World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.

The day, supported by both the United Nations and the World Health Organization, is designed to raise awareness of what elder abuse is and how it can be prevented.

Older people perceive abuse as neglect, violation of human, legal ad medical rights and deprivation.

Children, mistreating their elderly parents, should not have moral right to stay in house belonging to their parents, said Tejendra Khanna, Lt Governor of Delhi.

Inaugurating a symposium on Elder Abuse, jointly organized by United Nations Information Centre and NGO Anugraha, Mr Khanna said, ''Increasing cases of Elder Abuses are largely an outcome of changing global phenomena where the family bonds are not as strong as in the past and elders are being marginalised.'' The Lt Governor asked the elders not to look for the help from others but try to be strong enough to face the jolts of changing social and family equation. He asked the elderly gathering at the symposium to reduce their dependency level to their Children.

Mr Khanna also called the Delhi Police to redress the complaints of the elder citizen at priority basis and take strict actions against the unregretful children.

In her opening remarks, Ms Shalini Dewan, Director United Nations Information Centre New Delhi said however the problem of elder abuse is largely under recognized, but UN considered it critical as this mistreatment casts a disastrous effect on the later stage of one's life.

Ms Dewan informed that the International Network for the Prevention of Flder Abuse (INPEA) was founded in 1997 and is dedicated to global dissemination of information as part of its commitment to world-wide prevention of elder abuse, and launched in 2006 the 'World Elder Abuse Awareness Day' .

Moreover, taking serious note on the growing old age crisis, all member countries of United Nations adopted an International Plan of Action in Madrid on April 2002. The Plan recognizes the importance of actions against elder abuse and puts it in the framework of Universal Human Rights.

UNI