A number of cases involving the abuse of the elderly were highlighted yesterday during the launch of a set of amendments to the Criminal Code aimed at protecting the aged.
Maria Aurora Fenech, principal physiotherapist at the Department of the Elderly, mentioned one case where an old woman was strapped to a wheelchair and tied to a pole to prevent her from moving. Such occurrences, she said, had to become a thing of the past.
Turning to financial abuse, Ms Fenech spoke of a carer who would pocket some of the money she withdrew from an elderly woman’s account; the carer was entrusted with the woman’s debit card and pin.
Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly Justyne Caruana, who attended the conference, said: “Abuse on the elderly is a cruel reality that is unfortunately increasing, and people not only have a moral, but also a legal duty to take care of the elderly.”
Dr Caruana warned of stronger vigilance of those abandoning their parents at old people’s homes, as this constituted abuse. Referring to penalties, she said these would be harsher the older the abused people were.
Meanwhile, the definition of abuse will be widened to include emotional abuse, like threatening someone with abandonment. Dr Caruana urged people to report abuse, an appeal reiterated by Raymond Dimech, director of the Directorate for the Elderly.
“You might have questions on how to make a report, whether you’ll be threatened or isolated, or whether you’ll be believed. But you cannot let people abuse you because of your vulnerability.
“You have to report this immediately,” he said in his direct appeal.
Another speaker at the launch, social worker Maria Camilleri noted that financial abuse on the elderly was on the rise.
There were people who discouraged their elderly relatives from going to a bank branch because of their physical difficulties, so that they could take advantage of their financial situation, she said.
Ms Camilleri also spoke of a case of an illiterate woman who was told to sign a will, but was instead handed a power of attorney document. This allowed her relatives to sell off her own property without her knowledge.
Although the police investigated the case, which was also taken to court, the perpetrators got off scot-free because of a technical error.
“This shows that you have to keep your eyes peeled and be very careful. Report abuse immediately and get a second opinion just like what you would do with a doctor,” she said. The amendments to the Criminal Code are to be presented in Parliament tomorrow.