QUEZON CITY - Around one in six people aged 60 years or older have experienced some form of abuse over the past year, according to the World Health Organization.

And older people with visual impairments may be more vulnerable to various forms of abuse, according to The Fred Hollows Foundation, an international development organization working towards eliminating avoidable blindness.

The Fred Hollows Foundation is calling for more community safeguards to protect older people with vision impairment from neglect and mistreatment.

“Elderlies with vision impairment tend to have poor eye contact, slow reaction times and they may seem to be unsure of what they need to do. This might be interpreted or misconstrued by the other person as feigning unawareness, ignorance thus leading to impatience and anger by the other person,” said ophthalmologist Dr. Maria Victoria Rondaris and county manager of The Fred Hollows Foundation in the Philippines.

According to the foundation, addressing the unique challenges faced by older adults with vision impairment can help prevent elder abuse.

Globally, 33.6 million, or 78% of people who are blind are aged 50 or older.

Elder abuse can have severe physical, mental, economic, and social consequences for older people, including physical injury, premature death, depression, cognitive decline, and economic loss.

Hidden issue

The Fred Hollows Foundation’s Senior Adviser for Healthy Ageing, Dr Vânia de la Fuente-Núñez, said elder abuse was one of the most hidden forms of abuse in society and older people with sight issues were most at risk of being harmed.

“It is only by shining a light on the unique challenges faced by older adults with vision impairment that we can work towards reducing the risk of elder abuse in this population group.”

The number of Filipinos aged 60 years and above has doubled to 9.22 million in 2020 from only 4.6 million in 2000, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

According to the World Health Organization, elder abuse is 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 can take various forms such as financial, physical, psychological, sexual, and neglect.

“It is important to strengthen awareness about this abuse for this particular population. This awareness pushes policies for prevention,” said Dr. Rondaris.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day takes place on 15 June and unites the world in opposition to the violence that can be inflicted on older people. (The Fred Hallows Foundation)