More elderly turning to foodbanks

Tighter economic times are forcing more elderly people to turn to the Family Works foodbank in Timaru.

The number needing food last year more than doubled compared with 2008, according to the Family Works Presbyterian Support South Canterbury elder protection service.

Co-ordinator Geeta Muralidharan said financial difficulties led to stress and self-neglect. Many older people could not pay their power bills and would compromise on food, which led to them asking Family Works for help.

Some were being financially abused in some way, such as having to support their adult children but not getting adequate board from them, Mrs Muralidharan said.

"Financial abuse has always been the second most commonly occurring form of elder abuse and neglect that we see.

"Tighter economic times have seen a marked increase in referrals last year. As can be expected, when times are tight financially, families already under pressure are often pitched to breaking point.

"This service has seen older people neglected at home because family refuse to agree to residential care because this will erode the older person's assets – their inheritance."

Mrs Muralidharan said there had also been a gradual increase in referrals involving police, such as trespass orders.

South Canterbury statistics were similar to those provided by Age Concern's national office from 2001 to 2008, she said.

Figures showed up to 75 per cent of elder abuse and neglect was committed by family members. This was one of the reasons the abuse was not reported, Mrs Muralidharan said.

"Most older people value their family relationships, are dependent on family for support, do not wish to lose contact with family, and are ashamed that a family member is abusing them, but are prepared to put up with the abuse to maintain family ties.

"Family members can abuse their relatives even when they are in residential care. Up to 25 per cent of abuse involves the primary caregiver."

Up to 60 per cent of reported abuse involved psychological abuse – the most common form of elder abuse.

"It occurs alongside financial and physical abuse and neglect," Mrs Muralidharan said.

"It includes behaviours such as bullying, ridiculing a person's looks or behaviour, threatening a person to stop them from doing something or to make them do something, treating them like a child, etc."

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