We must defend older persons during COVID-19

Ranjan K Baruah *

Pandemic and lock down have affected older people more than young people as they are more at risk. Around the world older people are particularly affected by COVID-19. Apart from physical health, their mental health is also at risk due to the pandemic and the current situation in different parts.

Sometimes the health condition of an older person is not well and they are supposed to get admitted in hospitals or nursing homes, making them vulnerable to infection and adverse outcomes from COVID-19. There are older people who live alone and they may face barriers to obtaining accurate information, food, medication, and other essential supplies during lock down situations.

In 2017, 1 in 6 older persons were subjected to abuse. With lockdowns and reduced care, violence against older persons is on the rise. The COVID-19 pandemic may significantly lower older persons’ incomes and living standards. Already, less than 20% of older persons of retirement age receive a pension. An estimated 66% of people aged 70 and over have at least one underlying condition, placing them at increased risk of severe impact from COVID-19.

Older persons may also face age discrimination in decisions on medical care, triage, and life-saving therapies. Global inequalities mean that, already pre-COVID-19, as many as half of older persons in some developing countries did not have access to essential health services. The pandemic may also lead to a scaling back of critical services unrelated to COVID-19, further increasing risks to the lives of older persons.

Between 2019 and 2030, the number of persons aged 60 years or over is projected to grow by 38%, from 1 billion to 1.4 billion, globally outnumbering youth, and this increase will be the greatest and the most rapid in the developing world, and recognizing that greater attention needs to be paid to the specific challenges affecting older persons, including in the field of human rights.

According to the World Health Organization, elder abuse can be defined as "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship, where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person." Elder abuse can take various forms such as physical, psychological or emotional, sexual and financial abuse. It can also be the result of intentional or unintentional neglect.

In many parts of the world elder abuse occurs with little recognition or response. Until recently, this serious social problem was hidden from the public view and considered mostly a private matter.

Even today, elder abuse continues to be a taboo, mostly underestimated and ignored by societies across the world. Evidence is accumulating, however, to indicate that elder abuse is an important public health and societal problem.

Globally, the number of cases of elder abuse is projected to increase as many countries have rapidly ageing populations whose needs may not be fully met due to resource constraints.

It is predicted that by the year 2050, the global population of people aged 60 years and older will more than double, from 900 million in 2015 to about 2 billion, with the vast majority of older people living in low- and middle-income countries. If the proportion of elder abuse victims remains constant, the number of victims will increase rapidly due to population ageing, growing to 320 million victims by 2050.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, designated as 15 June, was initiated by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) in 2006, and recognised as a United Nations Day by the General Assembly in its resolution A/RES/66/127 adopted in 2011.

The Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) is an opportunity to bring together Governments, civil society, international agencies, professionals, academia, the media, and the private sector for ten years of concerted, catalytic and collaborative action to improve the lives of older people, their families, and the communities in which they live.

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations in his message stated that “The COVID-19 pandemic is causing untold fear and suffering for older people across the world. Beyond its immediate health impact, the pandemic is putting older people at greater risk of poverty, discrimination and isolation. It is likely to have a particularly devastating impact on older people in developing countries.”

Elder abuse is a problem that exists in both developing and developed countries yet is typically not reported globally. Prevalence rates or estimates exist only in selected developed countries—ranging from 1% to 10%.

Although the extent of elder mistreatment is unknown, its social and moral significance is obvious. We have seen elder abuse in our societies too and increasing number of old age homes is an indicator of the same.

Rights of the elderly person mean human rights and we must make sure that they are not discriminated against at any cost. Many of us who are reading this may not have crossed 60 years, which means we might also be discriminated against due to old age in near future. Though we have discussed more related to pandemic situations, let us ensure that we safeguard elderly people each and every day.


( With direct inputs from UN publication )