Elderly Abuse, Violence and Neglect in Haryana-A Case Study

At national level, almost a third of elderly victims are abused in their own home and almost as many are abused in residential care. The most common type of abuse was physical, followed by acts of neglect or omission. Increasing cases of elder abuses are largely an outcome of changing global phenomena where the family bonds are not as strong as in the past and elders are being marginalised. The paper is an attempt to examine the nature and causes of elderly abuse and to record the feelings of the elderly. Five hundred responded above 60 years age were randomly selected from rural and urban areas of district Rohtak. It is found that though there is not any major case of elder abuse, yet oral abuses and neglect are reported. Contrary to the common perception, sons are largely responsible for abuse and neglect. About 27.6 per cent of the respondents admitted that they have met out one or the other type of abuse. The percentage of abused females is larger than their counterparts. The abused feel sad and depressed. Nearly 21 per cent abused respondents reported depression and about 6 per cent thought to commit suicide.