NAIROBI, Kenya – On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2024, to be commemorated on Saturday, June 15, the spotlight is on psychological abuse among older people.
The day is an annual international UN observance on the same date each year. It was established by United Nations (UN) resolution 66/127.
Mobility difficulties, long-term physical ailments, and social isolation are among the many challenges older people encounter.
Y News has established that these can make it difficult for them to get help, evacuate safely, or get medical attention and support services when needed.
Such circumstances can get worse during emergencies, which raises the possibility of elder abuse.
As Kenya joins the rest of the world in marking this particular day, Nguvu Change Leader John Mwangi from Nguvu Collective told Y News that he envisions compassionate care for all older people in the country and beyond.
“Rampant psychological abuse desensitises society and causes harm to all vulnerable citizens, including the elderly,” Mwangi said.
What does the WHO say about elder abuse
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines elder abuse as a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, that causes harm or distress to an older person in any relationship where there is an expectation of trust.
In Kenya, elder abuse is rampant, with older adults being subjected to psychological abuse and mistreatment.
Therefore, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Mwangi is drawing attention to the fact that the normalisation of any psychological abuse desensitises society as a whole and causes harm to all vulnerable citizens, including older people.
“Psychological abuse is a human rights violation and can be particularly damaging to vulnerable elders as they have little or no recourse to quick grievance redressal. Extended abuse can lead to the development of mental health conditions in the elderly, exacerbating the already severe mental health crisis in Kenya,” explained Mwangi.
Elder abuse is predicted to increase as a result of the population ageing quickly; in 2015, there were 900 million people in the world who were 60 years of age or older; in light of this, it is more important than ever to highlight that respect and care for older people are human rights that should never be violated.
How elder abuse can deprive senior citizens
Y News understands that elder abuse can take many different forms, including financial or material abuse, abandonment, neglect, or a severe loss of dignity and respect.
“Untreated mental health issues are a ticking bomb, and we must ensure that our society and its caregiving institutions are sensitised to compassionate and respectful caregiving that promotes autonomy. Every human being, especially the elderly, deserves to be treated with dignity and have their autonomy respected,” Mwangi said.
The COVID-19 epidemic increased elder abuse rates, similar to other types of violence.
Emergencies such as pandemics, natural disasters or conflicts disproportionately affect older people by making existing vulnerabilities worse.
Mwangi thus argues that emergency planning and response must address the elderly population’s specific needs.
“People with mental health conditions are among the most stigmatised, abused, and discriminated against even though the 2010 Kenya Constitution guarantees every citizen access to the highest attainable health, including mental health,” Mwangi added.
John Mwangi’s battle with mental health
The activist has developed a keen understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with mental health conditions through his personal experience with undiagnosed depression, anxiety, and severe human rights abuse in a dysfunctional mental health care system.
“In the mental health facility where I sought refuge, I endured unimaginable suffering: confined to a dark, solitary, flea-infested psychiatric ward, subjected to physical abuse, sedation, forced nudity, and relentless verbal assaults,” Mwangi reflected on his ordeal.
Denied even a basic bed to rest on, Mwangi recalled how he was stripped of his humanity and treated as though he were unworthy of dignity and respect.
“This cycle of abuse shattered my trust in what should have been a compassionate caregiving system,” he explained.
Why elder abuse is a global concern
Globally, elder abuse is becoming a bigger health problem. Approximately one in six adults 60 years of age and older reported having been the victim of abuse in a public place in 2021.
Mwangi observed that planning and responding to emergencies must consider the senior population’s unique demands.
Following his recovery from this harrowing experience, Mangi took action.
He founded Psychosocial Development and Response, a survivor-led, youth-driven non-profit organisation that champions the well-being and rights of individuals with psychosocial disabilities.
Further, he has also initiated a petition campaign addressed to Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha Wafula and Mary Muthoni, Principal Secretary for Public Health and Professional Standards.
The CS office has received the petition letter, which seeks speedy recommendations in the mental health task force report, ‘Sensitize Staff in Mental Health Facilities to End Human Rights Abuse of Patients’.
How the UN seeks to achieve 17 SDGS
Already, the UN has emphasised that ending neglect, abuse and violence against older people is crucial as the international community continues to work together towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and fulfil their underlying pledge to leave no one behind.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aims to end poverty and build a more sustainable world.
This is why Mwang’s vision is to create an inclusive society where all age groups’ basic needs and rights and individuals with mental health conditions are respected, promoted, protected, and fulfilled.
Mangi hopes the Ministry of Health will intervene and ensure sensitisation training for all staff in mental health facilities on human and patient rights and involve carers and users of mental health services at all legal and policy development levels.
“This will align with what WHO and our Kenyan Constitution uphold,” said Mwangi.
This year’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day campaign emphasises the urgent need to protect older people from abuse during crises. It calls on governments to foster a more inclusive and protective environment for older people in emergencies.
