Page 84 - sesesp01_2002
P. 84
ILL-TREATMENT PREVENTING ABUSE, A HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTION
rra que afectan a la econo- las someten a malos tratos o person, to be abusive. This type of definition of ill-treatment of the elderly has
mía política en las relaciones las abandonan. Algunos been gaining support in the last 20 years.
y a la distribución del poder, autores tienen una relación
el abandono de la tradición, de dependencia emocional o The detection of ill-treatment depends on the awareness, knowledge and
la pérdida del papel ritual y económica con la víctima. understanding of this problem, as well as a recognition of the indicators of the
arbitral de los “ancianos” manifest effects. Neither professionals nor laymen in this matter are able to
que antaño eran respetados Los malos tratos institu- detect abuse if they presuppose that certain behaviour or the physical condition
en la familia y en la comuni- cionales se asocian con el of an elderly person is only due to his advanced age or bad health. Without
dad, y algunas prácticas de cuidado a largo plazo en ins- awareness in this respect, only the serious cases of ill-treatment will come to our
brujería. Las personas de tituciones. Además de estos attention. It is hard for the elderly people who are victims and who do not use the
edad pueden estar expuestas centros, los familiares ancia- medical or social services to get noticed. Furthermore, there are psychological and
a malos tratos durante perío- nos y delicados a veces per- contextual barriers when it comes to reporting that this person has been the
dos de cambio en los valores manecen en hospitales como victim of ill-treatment. The motivation to conceal this problem may derive from a
familiares, que pueden debi- pacientes de larga duración fear of being admitted to an institution or suffering reprisals, the desire to protect
litar los lazos intergeneracio- o en hogares para personas the author of the ill-treatment from the consequences of his actions, the feeling
nales, y durante los cambios de edad indigentes o disca- of disgrace or shame and the perception by the victim that the ill-treatment is
en el tamaño de la familia pacitadas. Las deficiencias something that is normal or deserved. Finally, people with cognitive impediments
que afectan a la capacidad del sistema de atención a or with little communication ability often cannot verbally express or clearly inform
de ésta de cuidar a sus estas personas, incluidas la others about the incidents. It should be concluded then, that the exact scale of
miembros. Estos factores mala capacitación de la the problem is unknown and the perceptions of these people with regard to the
pueden agravarse cuando plantilla, la sobrecarga de abusive actions or behaviour are a significant guide to detecting them.
existen políticas de segrega- trabajo, la mala atención a
ción basada en la edad que los residentes, que puede Those elderly people who are vulnerable are usually people with a certain
limitan el acceso de las per- manifestarse en una discipli- degree of dependence and loss of autonomy, who find themselves in a high risk
sonas de edad al empleo y na demasiado estricta o en situation. They suffer psychological or physical handicaps owing to conditions
cuando no hay sistemas de una sobreprotección, y el such as senile dementia or disability. Other risk factors include poverty, not
pensiones. La migración de deterioro de las instalacio- having children, living alone, social isolation and displacement. Elderly people
los hijos adultos a las ciuda- nes, pueden hacer más difí- with associated physical and mental pathologies, or who suffer bad mental
des aumenta la vulnerabili- ciles las interacciones entre health due to the improper use of medicine, alcohol or drugs find themselves in
dad al maltrato y el abando- la plantilla de estos centros y a high risk situation.
no de las personas de edad los residentes, lo cual puede
que permanecen en zonas dar lugar a malos tratos, Discrimination on the grounds of age and gender also has an effect. Among
rurales donde el apoyo de la abandono y explotación. En those factors that may contribute to the vulnerability of these people are the
familia es primordial para su los centros de atención psi- patrilineal hereditary laws, the property rights that affect the political economy
bienestar. cológica y geriátrica se han of relationships, the abandoning of traditions, the loss of the ritual and
registrado casos tanto de vio- arbitration role of the “elderly” who were previously respected in the family and
Los autores de actos vio- lencia contra los residentes in the community, and certain witchcraft practices. Elderly people may be
lentos y malos tratos contra como de violencia de éstos exposed during periods of change in the values of the family. Moreover, changes
las personas de edad son contra el personal. in family size may affect their capacity of the family to look after its members.
típicamente miembros de la These factors may be aggravated when there are age-based segregation policies
familia, amigos o conocidos. Los malos tratos domésti- that restrict the access of elderly people to employment and when there are no
No obstante, también puede cos son perpetrados por un pension systems. The migration of adult children to the cities increases
tratarse de desconocidos que miembro de la familia, que vulnerability and the sense of abandonment of the elderly who remain in rural
se aprovechan de las perso- suele ser el principal encar- areas where family support is fundamental to their well-being.
nas de edad, de organizacio- gado de cuidar a la persona
nes comerciales que defrau- de edad. Se reconoce en The people who commit violent acts and ill-treat elderly people are typically
dan a sus clientes y de indi- muchos estudios que los family members, friends or acquaintances. Nevertheless, such people could also
viduos que, en el ejercicio de malos tratos domésticos se be strangers who take advantage of elderly people, commercial organisations
su función como encargados suelen ocultar, no son fáciles who swindle their clients and individuals who, in carrying out their care
de cuidar a estas personas, de detectar y no se denun- responsibility functions with regard to the elderly, subject them to ill-treatment
cian en la gran mayoría de or abandon them. Some such people have an economic or financial dependency
relationship with the victim.
Institutional ill-treatment is associated with long term care in institutions. In
addition to these centres, elderly and fragile people sometimes stay in hospitals
as long-term patients or in homes for destitute or disabled elderly people. The
defects in the system of caring for these people, including a lack of skill among
care workers, the over-burdening amount of work, poor attention to the residents
—that may manifest itself in a standard of discipline that is too strict or in over-
➾protection— and the deterioration of the facilities, may make interaction
between the care workers of these centres and the residents more difficult. This
Sesenta y más 89
rra que afectan a la econo- las someten a malos tratos o person, to be abusive. This type of definition of ill-treatment of the elderly has
mía política en las relaciones las abandonan. Algunos been gaining support in the last 20 years.
y a la distribución del poder, autores tienen una relación
el abandono de la tradición, de dependencia emocional o The detection of ill-treatment depends on the awareness, knowledge and
la pérdida del papel ritual y económica con la víctima. understanding of this problem, as well as a recognition of the indicators of the
arbitral de los “ancianos” manifest effects. Neither professionals nor laymen in this matter are able to
que antaño eran respetados Los malos tratos institu- detect abuse if they presuppose that certain behaviour or the physical condition
en la familia y en la comuni- cionales se asocian con el of an elderly person is only due to his advanced age or bad health. Without
dad, y algunas prácticas de cuidado a largo plazo en ins- awareness in this respect, only the serious cases of ill-treatment will come to our
brujería. Las personas de tituciones. Además de estos attention. It is hard for the elderly people who are victims and who do not use the
edad pueden estar expuestas centros, los familiares ancia- medical or social services to get noticed. Furthermore, there are psychological and
a malos tratos durante perío- nos y delicados a veces per- contextual barriers when it comes to reporting that this person has been the
dos de cambio en los valores manecen en hospitales como victim of ill-treatment. The motivation to conceal this problem may derive from a
familiares, que pueden debi- pacientes de larga duración fear of being admitted to an institution or suffering reprisals, the desire to protect
litar los lazos intergeneracio- o en hogares para personas the author of the ill-treatment from the consequences of his actions, the feeling
nales, y durante los cambios de edad indigentes o disca- of disgrace or shame and the perception by the victim that the ill-treatment is
en el tamaño de la familia pacitadas. Las deficiencias something that is normal or deserved. Finally, people with cognitive impediments
que afectan a la capacidad del sistema de atención a or with little communication ability often cannot verbally express or clearly inform
de ésta de cuidar a sus estas personas, incluidas la others about the incidents. It should be concluded then, that the exact scale of
miembros. Estos factores mala capacitación de la the problem is unknown and the perceptions of these people with regard to the
pueden agravarse cuando plantilla, la sobrecarga de abusive actions or behaviour are a significant guide to detecting them.
existen políticas de segrega- trabajo, la mala atención a
ción basada en la edad que los residentes, que puede Those elderly people who are vulnerable are usually people with a certain
limitan el acceso de las per- manifestarse en una discipli- degree of dependence and loss of autonomy, who find themselves in a high risk
sonas de edad al empleo y na demasiado estricta o en situation. They suffer psychological or physical handicaps owing to conditions
cuando no hay sistemas de una sobreprotección, y el such as senile dementia or disability. Other risk factors include poverty, not
pensiones. La migración de deterioro de las instalacio- having children, living alone, social isolation and displacement. Elderly people
los hijos adultos a las ciuda- nes, pueden hacer más difí- with associated physical and mental pathologies, or who suffer bad mental
des aumenta la vulnerabili- ciles las interacciones entre health due to the improper use of medicine, alcohol or drugs find themselves in
dad al maltrato y el abando- la plantilla de estos centros y a high risk situation.
no de las personas de edad los residentes, lo cual puede
que permanecen en zonas dar lugar a malos tratos, Discrimination on the grounds of age and gender also has an effect. Among
rurales donde el apoyo de la abandono y explotación. En those factors that may contribute to the vulnerability of these people are the
familia es primordial para su los centros de atención psi- patrilineal hereditary laws, the property rights that affect the political economy
bienestar. cológica y geriátrica se han of relationships, the abandoning of traditions, the loss of the ritual and
registrado casos tanto de vio- arbitration role of the “elderly” who were previously respected in the family and
Los autores de actos vio- lencia contra los residentes in the community, and certain witchcraft practices. Elderly people may be
lentos y malos tratos contra como de violencia de éstos exposed during periods of change in the values of the family. Moreover, changes
las personas de edad son contra el personal. in family size may affect their capacity of the family to look after its members.
típicamente miembros de la These factors may be aggravated when there are age-based segregation policies
familia, amigos o conocidos. Los malos tratos domésti- that restrict the access of elderly people to employment and when there are no
No obstante, también puede cos son perpetrados por un pension systems. The migration of adult children to the cities increases
tratarse de desconocidos que miembro de la familia, que vulnerability and the sense of abandonment of the elderly who remain in rural
se aprovechan de las perso- suele ser el principal encar- areas where family support is fundamental to their well-being.
nas de edad, de organizacio- gado de cuidar a la persona
nes comerciales que defrau- de edad. Se reconoce en The people who commit violent acts and ill-treat elderly people are typically
dan a sus clientes y de indi- muchos estudios que los family members, friends or acquaintances. Nevertheless, such people could also
viduos que, en el ejercicio de malos tratos domésticos se be strangers who take advantage of elderly people, commercial organisations
su función como encargados suelen ocultar, no son fáciles who swindle their clients and individuals who, in carrying out their care
de cuidar a estas personas, de detectar y no se denun- responsibility functions with regard to the elderly, subject them to ill-treatment
cian en la gran mayoría de or abandon them. Some such people have an economic or financial dependency
relationship with the victim.
Institutional ill-treatment is associated with long term care in institutions. In
addition to these centres, elderly and fragile people sometimes stay in hospitals
as long-term patients or in homes for destitute or disabled elderly people. The
defects in the system of caring for these people, including a lack of skill among
care workers, the over-burdening amount of work, poor attention to the residents
—that may manifest itself in a standard of discipline that is too strict or in over-
➾protection— and the deterioration of the facilities, may make interaction
between the care workers of these centres and the residents more difficult. This
Sesenta y más 89
