Poverty and neglect amongst the elderly affects 20% of over-65s

The elderly on the island of Gozo are probably those at the highest risk-of-poverty, according to the National Statistics Office director Michael Pace Ross, who today presented statistics showing 21.8% of over-65s lived on the threshold of poverty.

They were followed closely by those living in the northern district area of St Paul's Bay, Mellieha, Mosta and Naxxar (19.8%).

The data was presented during a conference on poverty amongst the Maltese elderly.

Pace Ross pointed out that conversely, a greater proportion of over-65s living "at risk of social exclusion" prevailed in the southern harbour region (25.6%), followed again by Gozitans (22.4%).

The at-risk-of-poverty or social exclusion rate corresponds to the proportion of persons whose equivalised income falls below the at-risk-of-poverty threshold, persons who live in severely materially deprived private households, and persons who live in private households where the work intensity is below 20%.

The data presented showed that in general, 49.6% of elderly were unable to afford a one-week annual holiday away from home compared to 53.7% of the rest of the population; that 9.2% were unable to afford a meat-based meal every second day; that 23.8% were facing unexpected financial expenses (€450 or more) which they could not afford; and more worryingly, 21.6% did not afford keeping their home adequately warm.

Maria Aurora Fenech, a principal physiotherapist at the department of elderly and community care, said the elderly had no idea what to do or how to report a case of abuse. "We are being more reactive than proactive and society is doing nothing so as to prevent any abuses."

She cited various cases of abuse, ranging from the physical to the institutional and financial, where elderly had their assets and homes robbed, were scared of living on their own and were therefore more willing to allow members of their family, who in the process try to repossess their house.

"Abuse may a consist of a single act or repeated acts. It may be physical, verbal or psychological, it may be an act of neglect or an omission to act, or it may occur when a vulnerable person is persuaded to enter into a financial or sexual transaction to which he or she has not consented, or cannot consent," Fenech said.

Institutional abuse was one of the newest forms of abuse, she added. "Neglect and poor professional practice also need to be taken into account. This may take the form of isolated incidents of poor or unsatisfactory professional practice, at one end of the spectrum, through to pervasive ill treatment or gross misconduct at the other."

Fenech cited one case where a married couple were not provided a double bed in an institution, and when the husband joined up the two single beds, was mocked by hospital staff.