Financial abuse of elderly ¡®rampant, but invisible¡¯, says UN expert
Older people are increasingly subject to financial abuse, in many cases by their own family members,?Rosa Kornfeld-Matte,?the UN-appointed independent expert?on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons,?warned on Thursday.
¡°¹ó¾±²Ô²¹²Ô³¦¾±²¹±ô is rampant but largely invisible, and the problem is expected to grow dramatically with the ageing of our societies¡±, said Ms. Kornfeld-Matte in a statement to mark on 15 June.
¡°Sadly, most abusers are family members,¡± said Ms. Kornfeld-Matte. ¡°This is a particularly delicate matter¡±, she added, explaining that even experienced professionals have difficulty distinguishing an unwise but legitimate financial transaction, from an exploitative one that was the result of undue influence, duress, fraud, or a lack of informed consent.
Financial abuse reflects a pattern of behaviour rather than a single event, and occurs over a period of time.
She said that older people may even tacitly acknowledge it, or feel that the perpetrator has some entitlement to their assets.
¡°Some older people also have a desire to compensate those who provide them with care, affection, or attention¡±, she said.
Ms. Kornfeld-Matte urged older people to report cases of abuse to the authorities, even though they feel embarrassed or fear retaliation, including withdrawal of affection and care.
¡°One of the few ways to stop financial abuse of older people is to report it. If you suspect that someone you care about has been or is being abused, I can only urge you to speak up¡±, she said.
Source: UN News Centre
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