Elder Abuse Today, in a Reaction Paper

The speaker, however, quoted statistitics that demonstrated the vast majority of reported cases taking place in homes. The vast number of unreported cases also keeps the ignorance about this problem alive and well.

Connected to these problems are other contributing factors such as the increased vulnerability of the elderly, their greater dependence, their susceptibility to dementia, a lack of basic awareness of the abuse, and the tendency to disbelieve reports about elder persons being abused. The speaker also suggests that issues such as mental illness, our basic desensitization to violence, a sense of entitlement, a propensity for power and control, and ageism could be contributing factors to the abuse of elder persons by individuals.

When taking a wider perspective of the issue, however, my view is that the most important contributing factor is both ignorance and a tendency to ignore the suffering caused by this crime. As an individual, I like to tell myself that I am a caring person, who would never abuse another living thing. However, the video shocked me, because I became aware of just how unaware I am of such abuse occurring in society.

For this reason, I feel we should make a collective effort, as a society, to become more educated about this gross violation of human rights. We have no right to call ourselves democratic, or even civilized if we allow this type of abuse to continue right under our noses. We should become involved, for example, in groups that raise awareness and establish movements against the abuse of the elderly. As a society, we should also experience a basic shift of consciousness in what is important.

All human life is vital for society as a whole. Our children are our future; our workforce is our current wealth and well-being; our elderly represent our past and the wisdom we gained by learning from our experiences. As the representatives of our past experiences and learning opportunities, our elderly should be honored, not abused.