Stuff co.nz 26 June 2017
Family First Comment: “Age Concern statistics show about 75 per cent of alleged abusers were family members – more than half the alleged abusers were adult children or grandchildren. Family situations were often complex and elderly people relied on the care of the abuser, so instead of reporting the abuse, they put up with it.”
Assisted suicide laws would simply add to the pressure.
www.rejectassistedsuicide.org.nz
Age Concern is reporting a worrying increase in the number of older Manawatu people suffering abuse and neglect.
Often it’s from those closest to them and it’s a trend not limited to the region, with Age Concern’s chief executive Stephanie Clare saying elder abuse is a problem nationally.
Examples of abusive situations include children and grandchildren taking advantage of an older person’s home and money, as well as online scams and door-to-door scams.
Clare said elder abuse in New Zealand was under-reported, especially as people often felt ashamed after being scammed and did not want to come forward.
There were 311 referrals to Age Concern for cases of abuse and neglect in the Whanganui, Manawatu and Horowhenua region between July 2015 and June 2016 – about six referrals a week in each area.
This was up from 297 referrals for the same period the previous year and 309 referrals between July 2013 and June 2014.
Clare said society was ageist, with grandparents not always being treated with the respect they deserved.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/93953781/most-abusers-are-family-members
