A viral video purporting to show an elderly woman being abused by a caretaker was condemned by a local advocacy group yesterday.
According to reports, the elderly woman was seen wandering around a food store parking lot in a nightgown when she was approached by another woman, who put her into a car and repeatedly struck her while admonishing her to stay put.
In a statement, The Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association (TBAA) said this behavior should not be condoned or tolerated.
“While all abuse against the vulnerable is distasteful we firmly stand in agreement with the World Health Organization and its World Report on Violence and Health, which states that the “concern of mistreatment of older people should be heightened by the realization that the coming decades, in both developed and developing countries, there will be a dramatic increase in the elder population”.
It continued: “The report further states that, “the consequences of abuse can be especially serious as older people are physically weaker and more vulnerable than younger adults, their bones are more brittle and convalescence takes longer. Even a relatively minor injury can cause serious and permanent damage”.
Yesterday, the association urged law enforcement authorities to take all the necessary steps to ensure that “justice is served”.
The group pointed to the 2019 Draft of the Older Persons Bill, and called on lawmakers to bring it before Parliament alongside a national policy to ensure issues of elder abuse are addressed.
The statement read: “The Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association is aware that there may indeed be moments of frustration when caring for persons with Dementia or Alzheimer’s, however caregivers should not take out their frustration on the person that they are to care for.
“The Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association offers assistance in the form of webinars, where we provide help and instructions on care for those with dementia and Alzheimer’s.”
It added: “One of the aims of the association is to facilitate support and care for the care-givers and families of those suffering with Alzheimer’s We invite anyone who may need assistance when caring for someone with Dementia or Alzheimer’s to contact The Bahamas Alzheimer’s Association.”
Loading ...
