Violence
Domestic violence is an abuse of power.
The Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence states of physical violence, psychological violence, sexual violence, economic violence and neglect.
PHYSICAL VIOLENCE - any use of physical force that a family member causes pain, fear or humiliation, irrespective of whether the injuries were inflicted (kicking, beating, slapping, pushing, causing damage to various objects, biting, etc.).
PSYCHOLOGICAL VIOLENCE - when the perpetrator of violence in the family member induces fear, shame, feelings of inferiority, vulnerability and other mental distress (insults, humiliation, insults, ridicule, threats, ignoring, controlling, awakening feelings of guilt or inferiority, social isolation, jealousy , etc.).
SEXUAL VIOLENCE - dealing with sexual content to which family member objects is forced into or because of their level of development does not understand their meaning (rape, sexual harassment, kissing, touching, forced undressing, observation, photography, etc..).
ECONOMIC VIOLENCE - unduly controlling or limiting family member at the disposal of the income or asset management company with which family member individually holds or manages or unjustified restrictions on the disposal or management of the common property of family members (the place of the victim's money and / or property, to prevent the victim itself dispose of his money, ownership of the victim's bank card, failure to pay financial support for child victims of forgery of signature, etc..).
NEGLECT - the abandonment of caring for a family member who needs it due to illness, disability, age, developmental or other personal circumstances (the person is not able to provide for the existence of important basic things such as medicines, cleanliness, hygiene, food, etc..).
Violence is often carried out on the elderly! In particular, psychological violence, economic violence and neglect. The perpetrator of the violence is usually a family member.
I know what's good for you! NOT TRUE
No one can decide instead of another, also not instead of the elderly. In case that this person has legal capacity. If someone is older does not mean that they are not able to decide for themselves. The older person has a lot of life experience and wisdom, which we often forget. Although old should not be administered to nothing, as if they were incompetent. We always need to work together in co-decision. By this time the old man, take a few (say, cooking for the family, grandchildren) they withdraw what little, which they feel able to.
We need to talk to eachother.
Older people find it difficult to tell about his/her distress to various institutions, rather they keep quiet and endure, even when it comes to violence. Therefore, it is important that an older person has someone whom he/she can trust, who will listen to them and help them. Neighbours can also notice that something unpleasant is happening to older person and can react. It can happen that we ask a person if everything is all right, and we will get an affirmative answer, despite the fact that this is not true. To many people it is very difficult to ask for help and admit powerlessness.
You don`t know, you don`t see, cannot hear, you're not good ... sounds familiour? All too often used words for the elderly.
Despite the (small) decline in capacity that is not the reason that we can (children, grandchildren, relatives and others nearby) do something instead of this person. That is just because we are chasing time and we cannot wait a few extra moments for older person to do the job itself. Such words can be hurtfull and stripped of all self-esteem of an older person. The person begins to wonder why I am still here, for I am no longer useful. Although older are less visible, less audible, slowly moving and need for every thing much longer time, we must realize that they still can do it and want to do it. Therefore, we must allow them to take as many tasks by themselves, according to their capabilities. We can help them by keeping their knowledge and skills.
Older people are lonely.
Many older people live alone. After losing a partner, friends, neighbors, peers, their social network increasingly narrows. Knowing that people close to them are dying, for many people means a big stress. At the same time, however, all too often happens that an older person is isolated even when his immediate family, children, grandchildren, do not visit, call ... Even when person is old, he still needs a social network of people around him. A human requires conversation, the warmth of a fellow human being, a sense of belonging, usefulness.
The elderly person is NOT our child!
Suddenly, it may happen that adult children begin to perceive their elderly parents differently and treat them like helpless children. Unfortunately, a lot of adults behaves like that towards elderly. Why? Even if a person is elderly, he still has his own personality, whichwas formed through the years. While treating them as helpless children we withdrawn their autonomy and the right to decide. Nobody wants to be treated in old age as a helpless, incompetent children. We all want to preserve our dignity and to be respected and treated like an adult human being.