In 2017, Lagos, Nigeria, I boarded a BRT public Bus from Mile 12 to Maryland Bus stop, my Office then. As the tradition, when the seats are fully occupied by passengers, then the pilot opens the engine and drives.
When we reached the first bus stop, Ketu, the BRT bus opened and the ticketer announces 'standing space', Some young people rushed in to join us inside the bus, then, my attention swift to an elderly man who barely walks very well, he handed over his ticket and entered the BRT bus with us.
He joined other new passengers on the standing cue and my heart was broken. I stood up and tapped him, Sir, pls come sit here. He looked at me and smiled, 'My daughter, thank you'. With the assistance of another young man, we helped him walk to my seat and I joined the other passengers in standing cue.
At that moment, a lot was running through my mind. Why is the government not making a reservation Bus Only for elders. What is the welfare package for Elders in Nigeria?
I have witnessed how some young people slap and abuse elders in their neighbourhood.
Addressing Elder Abuse
Elder abuse can be defined as “a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person”. It is a global social issue which affects the Health and Human Rights of millions of older persons around the world, and an issue which deserves the attention of the international community.
In many parts of the world elder abuse occurs with little recognition or response. Until recently, this serious social problem was hidden from the public view and considered mostly a private matter. Even today, elder abuse continues to be a that, mostly underestimated and ignored by societies across the world. Evidence is accumulating, howethatto indicate that elder abuse is an important public health and societal problem.
Before my grandmother died, she was a little bit sick. One night after the bedtime evening prayer, we heard her greeting us from her room, 'E kaaro ooo' in Yoruba Language, meaning, Good morning. When I asked my mother why she is behaving like that, she said, that's a sign of old age. We loved and cared for her till she breathed her last breath on earth. In some societies in Nigeria, when elderly ones misbehave, they regard them as witches or wizards, hence, their children moved away from them and abandoned them.
Elder abuse is a problem that exists in both developing and developed countries yet is typically underreported globally. Prevalence rates or estimates exist only in selected developed countries — ranging from 1% to 10%. Although the extent of elder mistreatment is unknown, its social and moral significance is obvious. As such, it demands a global multifaceted response, one which focuses on protecting the rights of older persons.
From a health and social perspectives, unless both primary health care and social service sectors are well equipped to identify and deal with the problem, elder abuse will continue to be underdiagnosed and overlooked.
I leave you with this word from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, World Elder Abuse Awareness Day “I call upon Governments and all concerned actors to design and carry out more effective prevention strategies and stronger laws and policies to address all aspects of elder abuse. Let us work together to optimize living conditions for older persons and enable them to make the greatest possible contribution to our world.”
