Page 86 - sesesp01_2002
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ILL-TREATMENT PREVENTING ABUSE, A HUMAN RIGHTS QUESTION
forma sistemática. Los profe- establecimiento de normas may give rise to ill-treatment, abandonment and exploitation. Cases of violence
sionales no siempre invocan de atención y de requisitos against residents and violence by the latter against the staff have been recorded
el ordenamiento jurídico para la contratación de per- at these psychiatric and geriatric care centres.
para lograr compensaciones sonal, así como las inspec-
para los afectados o castigar ciones periódicas de las resi- Domestic ill-treatment is perpetrated by a family member, who is usually the
a los autores de los malos dencias, son condiciones main person in charge of caring for the elderly person. Many studies have
tratos, o sólo recurren a él obligatorias en algunos luga- recognised that domestic ill-treatment is usually concealed, is not easy to detect
cuando hay pruebas incon- res, pese a que el nivel de and is not reported in the large majority of cases. Domestic violence against
trovertibles de que se han cumplimiento de éstas varía. elderly family members may become evident in times of rapid social change,
producido. No obstante, es including domestic changes in the traditional norms of respect and in the
importante apoyar la crea- Los consejos de residen- practices established for the care of these people.
ción de mecanismos jurídi- tes, comités de familias y
cos de penalización. programas de defensores del RESPONDING TO THE PROBLEM
residente son otros de los
En algunos países, los mecanismos que pueden The responses to ill-treatment of aged people have been focused on activities
médicos, asistentes sociales, establecerse. El éxito de los of awareness and understanding of the problem, on the promotion of respect and
enfermeros y otros profesio- programas depende del com- dignity towards these people and thus, on the protection of their rights.
nales están obligados por ley promiso que mantenga la
a denunciar cualquier pre- dirección de un centro con la The principle on which action needs to be based include ethical
sunto caso de maltrato, calidad de los cuidados, las considerations, human rights and the values of liberty, autonomy, justice,
abandono o explotación de buenas condiciones de tra- responsibility, intimacy, respect and dignity,. The legal and judicial systems, the
una persona de edad. La efi- bajo y la creatividad en la norms of social and human development and the professional and services
cacia en lo que respecta a la solución de problemas. Los bodies work towards serving these actions. Local communities, neighbourhoods
respuesta y la prevención es criterios para la contratación and official support networks increasingly participate in the fight against ill-
objeto de polémica. Los pro- de personal que excluyan a treatment of the elderly. This provides a complement to the efforts of family
fesionales son reacios a los candidatos con historial members and individuals.
denunciar. Algunos argu- de malos tratos y seleccio-
mentan que dicha obliga- nen a aquellos que demues- 1.- Awareness and education. The need to make the public aware is reflected
ción pone en peligro la auto- tren empatía con las perso- in the wide coverage that the mass media gives to serious acts of ill-treatment
nomía de las personas de nas de edad y capacidad de and flagrant cases of abandonment. In recent years, awareness and education
edad o que crea unas expec- sobrellevar el estrés y de programmes have adopted a focus centred on human rights. Other efforts
tativas y una demanda de afrontar las situaciones de include information and education sessions, support programmes for the elderly
servicios que las comunida- conflicto pueden desempe- and advocates in order to assert their rights and bring an end to ill-treatment,
des a veces no pueden satis- ñar un papel importante. and strategies for planning the future protection of vulnerable elderly people.
facer. También se reconoce
que en situaciones en que la En algunos entornos Educational programmes have proposed providing the facilities for lawyers,
persona de edad sufre pro- comunitarios las intervencio- politicians, law enforcement officials, social workers and other professionals to
blemas de salud mental y nes incluyen la provisión de be able to detect cases of ill-treatment and abandonment and to provide advice
necesita asesoramiento el cobijo y de servicios sociales about carrying out effective action. National telephone support lines have been
recurso a esa ley podría para las víctimas. Los servi- established in many countries. Some non-governmental organisations also offer
estar contraindicado. cios de voluntariado, las awareness and education programmes. Community development programmes
redes de barrio, los grupos that tend to the needs and concerns of the elderly have also made a contribution.
3. Programas de intervención comunitarios de apoyo, las
organizaciones religiosas y 2.- Legislation, protection mechanisms and legal intervention. Awareness
y prevención. los programas de apoyo a las about ill-treatment of the elderly and changes in social policy have led to the
familias también han desem- passing of new legislation that classifies ill-treatment of the elderly as a crime
Las intervenciones en ins- peñado una labor activa de and increases the penalties. In some cases, regulations and norms of acting
tituciones incluyen mecanis- apoyo. Este apoyo puede have been approved in order to complement the state laws and to establish
mos oficiales de respuesta a incluir servicios a domicilio, systems for putting them into practice. In other countries, there is presently little
las denuncias. La certifica- guarderías para adultos y or no legislation drawn up specifically. Protection mechanisms for the aged may
ción de los proveedores, el programas de cuidados tem- also include charters of rights and responsibilities of the residents of care
centres and contracts between the residents and the service or care providers.
Defence services for the elderly and structures such as commissions on ageing
provide assistance in dealing with complaints.
In some countries where there is legislation that protects against the ill-
treatment of the elderly, said legislation is not systematically applied.
Professionals do not always use the legal code in order to obtain compensation
for those affected or to punish those who do the ill-treating, or they only resort to
this when there is incontrovertible evidence of such ill-treatment having taken
➾place. Nevertheless, it is important to support the creation of legal mechanisms
to penalise violence that can be applied in cases of ill-treatment of the elderly.
Sesenta y más 91
forma sistemática. Los profe- establecimiento de normas may give rise to ill-treatment, abandonment and exploitation. Cases of violence
sionales no siempre invocan de atención y de requisitos against residents and violence by the latter against the staff have been recorded
el ordenamiento jurídico para la contratación de per- at these psychiatric and geriatric care centres.
para lograr compensaciones sonal, así como las inspec-
para los afectados o castigar ciones periódicas de las resi- Domestic ill-treatment is perpetrated by a family member, who is usually the
a los autores de los malos dencias, son condiciones main person in charge of caring for the elderly person. Many studies have
tratos, o sólo recurren a él obligatorias en algunos luga- recognised that domestic ill-treatment is usually concealed, is not easy to detect
cuando hay pruebas incon- res, pese a que el nivel de and is not reported in the large majority of cases. Domestic violence against
trovertibles de que se han cumplimiento de éstas varía. elderly family members may become evident in times of rapid social change,
producido. No obstante, es including domestic changes in the traditional norms of respect and in the
importante apoyar la crea- Los consejos de residen- practices established for the care of these people.
ción de mecanismos jurídi- tes, comités de familias y
cos de penalización. programas de defensores del RESPONDING TO THE PROBLEM
residente son otros de los
En algunos países, los mecanismos que pueden The responses to ill-treatment of aged people have been focused on activities
médicos, asistentes sociales, establecerse. El éxito de los of awareness and understanding of the problem, on the promotion of respect and
enfermeros y otros profesio- programas depende del com- dignity towards these people and thus, on the protection of their rights.
nales están obligados por ley promiso que mantenga la
a denunciar cualquier pre- dirección de un centro con la The principle on which action needs to be based include ethical
sunto caso de maltrato, calidad de los cuidados, las considerations, human rights and the values of liberty, autonomy, justice,
abandono o explotación de buenas condiciones de tra- responsibility, intimacy, respect and dignity,. The legal and judicial systems, the
una persona de edad. La efi- bajo y la creatividad en la norms of social and human development and the professional and services
cacia en lo que respecta a la solución de problemas. Los bodies work towards serving these actions. Local communities, neighbourhoods
respuesta y la prevención es criterios para la contratación and official support networks increasingly participate in the fight against ill-
objeto de polémica. Los pro- de personal que excluyan a treatment of the elderly. This provides a complement to the efforts of family
fesionales son reacios a los candidatos con historial members and individuals.
denunciar. Algunos argu- de malos tratos y seleccio-
mentan que dicha obliga- nen a aquellos que demues- 1.- Awareness and education. The need to make the public aware is reflected
ción pone en peligro la auto- tren empatía con las perso- in the wide coverage that the mass media gives to serious acts of ill-treatment
nomía de las personas de nas de edad y capacidad de and flagrant cases of abandonment. In recent years, awareness and education
edad o que crea unas expec- sobrellevar el estrés y de programmes have adopted a focus centred on human rights. Other efforts
tativas y una demanda de afrontar las situaciones de include information and education sessions, support programmes for the elderly
servicios que las comunida- conflicto pueden desempe- and advocates in order to assert their rights and bring an end to ill-treatment,
des a veces no pueden satis- ñar un papel importante. and strategies for planning the future protection of vulnerable elderly people.
facer. También se reconoce
que en situaciones en que la En algunos entornos Educational programmes have proposed providing the facilities for lawyers,
persona de edad sufre pro- comunitarios las intervencio- politicians, law enforcement officials, social workers and other professionals to
blemas de salud mental y nes incluyen la provisión de be able to detect cases of ill-treatment and abandonment and to provide advice
necesita asesoramiento el cobijo y de servicios sociales about carrying out effective action. National telephone support lines have been
recurso a esa ley podría para las víctimas. Los servi- established in many countries. Some non-governmental organisations also offer
estar contraindicado. cios de voluntariado, las awareness and education programmes. Community development programmes
redes de barrio, los grupos that tend to the needs and concerns of the elderly have also made a contribution.
3. Programas de intervención comunitarios de apoyo, las
organizaciones religiosas y 2.- Legislation, protection mechanisms and legal intervention. Awareness
y prevención. los programas de apoyo a las about ill-treatment of the elderly and changes in social policy have led to the
familias también han desem- passing of new legislation that classifies ill-treatment of the elderly as a crime
Las intervenciones en ins- peñado una labor activa de and increases the penalties. In some cases, regulations and norms of acting
tituciones incluyen mecanis- apoyo. Este apoyo puede have been approved in order to complement the state laws and to establish
mos oficiales de respuesta a incluir servicios a domicilio, systems for putting them into practice. In other countries, there is presently little
las denuncias. La certifica- guarderías para adultos y or no legislation drawn up specifically. Protection mechanisms for the aged may
ción de los proveedores, el programas de cuidados tem- also include charters of rights and responsibilities of the residents of care
centres and contracts between the residents and the service or care providers.
Defence services for the elderly and structures such as commissions on ageing
provide assistance in dealing with complaints.
In some countries where there is legislation that protects against the ill-
treatment of the elderly, said legislation is not systematically applied.
Professionals do not always use the legal code in order to obtain compensation
for those affected or to punish those who do the ill-treating, or they only resort to
this when there is incontrovertible evidence of such ill-treatment having taken
➾place. Nevertheless, it is important to support the creation of legal mechanisms
to penalise violence that can be applied in cases of ill-treatment of the elderly.
Sesenta y más 91
