THE NEED TO REVERSE AGEISM

ON June 15, when the world observed Elder Abuse Awareness Day, Kerala gave India a timely reason to think harder about ageing.

- DR DEBANJAN BANERJEE

The state’s decision to launch a separate department for senior citizens’ welfare was more than a bureaucratic announcement. It was a recognition that older adults need more than pensions and healthcare schemes. They also need protection, visibility and a system that can respond when things go wrong.

The timing is significant. Kerala has one of India’s fastest-ageing populations and is often seen as a preview of the country’s demographic future.

The state recognises that beyond disease, the most common threats to older people come from neglect, coercion, humiliation, financial exploitation and social isolation. Elder abuse rarely begins with violence. It may begin with a delayed medical visit, restricted access to money, repeated insults, pressure to transfer property, or the quiet withdrawal of care. It often happens where trust is expected most: inside families.

A few years ago, an 82-year-old retired schoolteacher was brought to a clinic by a neighbour. Her son lived abroad. Her daughter called every Sunday. On paper, she was well cared for. Money came regularly. Medicines were bought. A caregiver visited daily. Yet she had lost weight, stopped bathing regularly and was storing stale food in her refrigerator. Only after repeated conversations did she reveal that the caregiver routinely shouted at her and withheld help unless paid extra. She had never complained because she feared being abandoned. Her situation improved only after the neighbour intervened, the caregiver was replaced and her children arranged a local care plan. The lesson was simple: abuse is often detected first by someone who notices.