Older persons are suffering more neglect amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and experts are warning that this is dangerous amounts to a significant violation of their right to health and other human rights.
Nigeria has no functional national policy on the care and welfare of older persons and ageing in the country is occurring against the background of socioeconomic hardship, widespread poverty.
These experts say that older persons, who live alone, may face trauma, lack access to accurate information, food, medication, and other essential supplies during the lock- down. Some have faced domestic violence and sexual abuse.
“Older people are particularly affected by COVID-19 and they need special attention during this crisis and their voices, opinions and concerns must be heard because they are still part of the society,” Uchenna Idoko, executive director, Center for Gender Economics (CGE) said.
According to Idoko, this is why the Center for Gender Economics Initiative (CGE Africa) with funding support from Global Funds Canada through ActionAid is organising workshops in three local government areas (LGAs) Shomolu, Yaba and Eti Osa in Lagos state Nigeria for elderly women to implement Psychosocial Support Circles (PSCs) in one community from each LGA.
“The workshop is free; it is a survivor-centred initiative that prioritises the rights and needs of survivors of gender-based elder abuse and neglect. Within these Circles, Counselling and psycho-social support for elderly women survivors of gender-based abuse and neglect during the COVID 19 lockdowns will be provided. 40 participants per LGA,” she said.
Also in the same vein, Kikelomo Ogunkale consultant and a member of CGE said that older persons require support in Nigeria adding that it is very important as many believe that once some people cross a certain age, they think they do not have any problem.
“The older people are generally from the age of 60 years and they are seen as senior citizens. They should be taken care of and they need a lot of attention, but they do not have enough here in our society. Some of them, their children are not around to take care of them.”
“Many of these older persons are at risk of abuse even during the lockdown not limited to physical, psychological, sexual abuse, financial abuse or exploitation and neglect. There is need for urgent public health action to protect the rights of older persons,” she urged.
Speaking on therapy, Joel Alabi, a behavioural change scientist said that these old women need a lot of psychological therapy and listening to their personal experiences during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“I realised that the experiences were nearly the same for most of the women in attendance and experiences ranging from emotional trauma, lack of sustainable financial means/resources which resulted in physical ill-health causes high blood pressure, insomnia as a result of sleepless night of constant worry and fear of the future and lack of food.
“Surprisingly majority of these women also claimed to feel much better from all the aforementioned ailments at post-Covid-19 lockdown,” he said.
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