Melva Croes-Yanez discussed the topic of elder abuse during the recent seminar organized by the Alzheimer Aruba Foundation.
Croes-Yanez spoke about elder abuse, noting that in many cases, the origin of these abuse cases comes from a trusted/known person who has been entrusted with the direct or indirect care of an elderly adult.
During the seminar, they addressed the situation of elderly adults with limitations (e.g., in wheelchairs). Many of the elderly spend their days alone at home or in a form of isolation due to their disabilities, unable to leave on their own.
She showed that the United Nations also reported that there was a lot of abuse happening in care homes during the pandemic, and this happened in Aruba too. We must take the time to give the elderly community the care and attention they require in order for them to lead meaningful lives.
There’s another challenge if a person with disabilities wishes to attend an event, requiring an additional expense of between 100 and 200 florins for adequate transportation. The only costs covered for the elderly with limitations are dialysis, paid for by AZV. Otherwise, throughout the week, these individuals remain isolated at home. ‘Isolation brings illness with it, isolation brings anxiety with it, and isolation can even bring death,’ according to Croes-Yanez.
