Elderly Abuse

Sorry, but a rant is about to follow...

This latest rant has been brought to you by BBC news again.

Really, how can anyone be shocked by this? Surely it is common knowledge?

Do the remaining 3/4 of people questioned in this survey not know any old people, or are they the abusers?!

To anyone else who was unaware of this problem, I don't mean to be rude. But - wake up, smell the coffee, get your head out of your arse and stop whatever else it is you are doing, that has deluded you enough to fail to see a problem. The world is not a nice place, and the quicker this is realised the better.

Why do things like this go unnoticed. Presuming that the woman has family, you may think that one of them *atleast*, may have found the manner of her death somewhat bizarre.

And even this one. The most basic in training, either not provided or just disregarded.

In fact, have this link instead.

I would like to add, in defence for both of the blogs to which have provided links, they are in no way associated with my paltry excuse for writing.

But I fail to see how people do not notice these things, even at a tender young age when visiting people in hospitals I observed what I perceived as incorrect response/treatment toward the elderly people in a ward. When overheard commenting to myself about this, I was told by a passing nurse "to be quiet or I'd get myself into trouble", but I do understand that people close their eyes to what they do not wish to see. People do not wish to acknowledge things that show that their world, their society, is not as perfect as they like to believe.

But anyway, I digress.

What especially annoys me, despite the fact that a large proportion if not all care agencies for the elderly pretend that it is a shock (our patients being abused... errr, erm whats the correct response... oh yeah... oh.. no.. we must stop this..) but that reports like this arise around only one day a year ; a.k.a World Elder Abuse Day on 15 June.

Don't get me wrong, it is good that attention is being brought to it, no matter how small. And the infrequent splurges of stories shock people into caring. But for how long? A few days? A week, perhaps the entire month!!!? Excuse me for being cynical but in a world where this warrants a mention, why are care homes not named and shamed.

Footnote: Yes, I am glad that the doggy emerged unscathed - really I am. I love animals too, and I'm not saying it shouldnt be mentioned, only that other things *should* be mentioned at the same time.