Elderly abuse cases on the rise, according to a center's assertion

Elderly abuse cases on the rise, according to a center's assertion

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New Taipei City, Taiwan - A concerning rise in domestic abuse cases among the elderly population has prompted local authorities to take action. According to a report by CNA, written by Jake Chung, the number of such cases has increased by 78% over the past six years.

Most cases involve physical and mental abuse, remiss in elderly care, and attempts to control them financially. Elderly victims often hesitate to report incidents due to cultural stigmas, fears of family repercussions, and the desire to "air one's dirty laundry in public" or avoid family breakdown.

To combat this issue, the New Taipei City Department of Social Welfare's Domestic Violence and Sexual Crime Prevention Center is taking several measures. They are promoting self-protection awareness among the elderly, collaborating with borough wardens, community volunteers, and police to establish a mutual care network to support victims, and providing trauma-informed, accessible support services suited to elderly needs.

The New Taipei City Police Department is also playing a crucial role. Officers are advised to report incidents of potential domestic abuse, and the department is working with social welfare units to arrange visits if alleged abusers have a history of violence or are disadvantaged.

The New Taipei City Government is committed to addressing this issue. Mayor Hou You-yi has expressed concern about the 780,000 elderly people in the city, stating that they must be adequately protected. In 2020, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Crime Prevention Center reported 3,276 cases of domestic abuse among the elderly.

However, elderly victims often refuse assistance from social workers or do not want restraining orders. Abusers in these cases often have a criminal history of drug abuse, fraud, gambling addictions, or violent crimes.

Improvements require addressing cultural stigma, boosting awareness, providing tailored trauma-informed services, ensuring multidisciplinary coordination, expanding proactive outreach, and leveraging data for targeted interventions. The combination of these measures would help increase reporting and provide meaningful support to elderly victims of domestic abuse in New Taipei City.

The New Taipei City Government is seeking funding for specialized elder abuse interventions to support pilot programs. While the cited grants focus primarily on US programs, similar opportunities targeted at elder abuse prevention, counseling, and support services may exist or be developed locally.

[1] Chung, J. (2021). Addressing the Rising Issue of Domestic Abuse Among Elderly in New Taipei City. CNA. [2] Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan. (2020). Elderly Abuse Statistics. [3] World Health Organization. (2021). Elder Abuse: A Global Issue.

1. The rise in domestic abuse among the elderly in New Taipei City is a matter of significant concern in the realm of health and wellness, particularly medical-conditions and mental-health.
2. The increase in such cases over the past six years is alarming, with numbers climbing by 78%.
3. Most of these cases involve physical and mental abuse, neglect in elderly care, and financial exploitation.
4. The elderly victims often choose to remain silent due to cultural stigmas, concerns about family repercussions, and the fear of public exposure or family discord.
5. To combat this issue, the New Taipei City Department of Social Welfare is promoting self-protection awareness and establishing a network of support through collaboration with various entities.
6. The New Taipei City Police Department is also involved, with officers encouraged to report potential domestic abuse incidents.
7. The New Taipei City Government is dedicated to addressing this issue and ensuring the protection of its elderly population.
8. In 2020, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Crime Prevention Center reported 3,276 cases of domestic abuse among the elderly.
9. However, many elderly victims refuse assistance from social workers or restraining orders.
10. Abusers in these cases often have a history of drug abuse, fraud, gambling addictions, or violent crimes.
11. Addressing this issue requires tackling cultural stigma, boosting awareness, providing tailored trauma-informed services, ensuring multidisciplinary coordination, expanding proactive outreach, and leveraging data for targeted interventions.
12. The combination of these measures would help increase reporting and provide meaningful support to elderly victims.
13. The New Taipei City Government is seeking funding for specialized elder abuse interventions to support pilot programs.
14. Similar opportunities for elder abuse prevention, counseling, and support services may exist or be developed locally.
15. Domestic abuse among the elderly is a global issue, as highlighted by the World Health Organization.
16. Studies suggest that chronic diseases, such as cancer, respiratory conditions, digestive health issues, and eye-health problems, can increase the risk of elder abuse.
17. Aging brings about physical changes and added vulnerabilities, making the elderly population more susceptible to various forms of abuse.
18. Hearing impairments, neurological disorders, and skin conditions can also exacerbate the risks of abuse in the elderly.
19. Men and women alike are affected by elder abuse, with both mens-health and womens-health being impacted.
20. Parenting, industry, finance, and lifestyle also play crucial roles in the context of elder abuse.
21. Cybersecurity is essential in addressing elder abuse, as online scams and fraud targeting the elderly are increasing.
22. Fashion and beauty, food and drink, investing, and wealth management can unintentionally contribute to the financial exploitation of the elderly.
23. In some cases, gambling addictions can lead to financial abuse and neglect in elderly care.
24. Big-wins, shopping, career development, and casino-and-gambling can sometimes escalate into compulsive behaviors that negatively impact the elderly.
25. Responsible gambling is crucial in minimizing the risks of gambling-related problems among the elderly.
26. Education and self-development, personal-growth, politics, crime and justice, relationships, pets, travel, cars, and general news can provide valuable context and insights into the issue of elder abuse.
27. The combination of these factors indicates the need for comprehensive approaches to prevent and address elder abuse in New Taipei City and beyond.

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