2024-02-13 08:50:00
Whether it concerns an elderly parent or a grandparent who is losing their memory, it is not always easy to identify cases of control or abuse of trust. In 2017, based on 52 studies in 28 countries, a World Health Organization analysis found that one in six people over the age of 60 (15.7%) had experienced a form of mistreatment during the year.
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“As they age, some people can become particularly vulnerable. If the aging process is a natural phenomenon, the vulnerability it induces is explained by the physiological but also societal changes attributable to it,” explains Marie-Christine Gély-Nargeot, professor of adult and elderly neuropsychology. If the physical sphere is affected (fall, stroke, etc.), this is also the case for the cognitive sphere with the appearance of attentional disorders which lead to a decline in memory performance.
Abuse of weakness, control and mistreatment
“The social and economic sphere is also impacted, with a tendency towards social isolation. In fact, the elderly person is rejected by society, because he no longer corresponds to societal values of performance, productivity, state of full health, etc. This political and social construction of old age generates the stigmatization of our elders and leads to their social exclusion. Poverty and precariousness among the elderly are more recent phenomena, they accentuate vulnerability through lack of access to appropriate care, for example,” summarizes Professor Gély-Nargeot. In some cases, control appears because of the dependence that sets in to carry out daily activities.
“Major neurocognitive disorders (which replaces the term dementia), of neurodegenerative origin, physical disorders, etc., fuel this dependence on others and reinforce their great vulnerability,” underlines the specialist. Thus, vulnerability can open up space for abuse of weakness, control, and mistreatment of vulnerable elderly people and can aggravate its impact. The more vulnerable the person is, the greater the risk of mistreatment or abuse.
Signs of control over an elderly person
Spotting the signs of control is not always easy because, in some cases, the abuser is a loved one (family or caregiver). And some older people are ashamed of this situation and hide the signs from those around them. Professor Gély-Nargeot lists the signs that should alert: “Unexplained injuries, bruises, or for which the explanations given by the victim remain inconclusive; sudden changes in behavior with modifications compared to the previous state of one’s personality and lifestyle habits. »
For example, a very sociable person who isolates himself should be a warning sign. “The abuser often seeks to isolate the vulnerable person from their social support in order to exercise more effective control,” explains the specialist. You must also be alert to a loss of autonomy or behavioral changes. Vigilance also in the face of psychoaffective and emotional changes, such as the sudden appearance of signs of depression, anxiety, constant fear or apprehension, emotional distress, unhappiness, a reduction in self-esteem or a sudden lack of self-confidence.
Monitor bank movements
“The abuser controls the victim’s communication and social interactions. The elderly person is visibly no longer free in their thoughts and actions, explains Professor Gély-Nargeot. This control can also result in emotional dependence on the abuser (the famous Stockholm syndrome). The victim becomes excessively dependent on the perpetrator, to the point of losing his free will, his critical mind. »
It is also advisable to monitor the elderly person’s bank accounts and be concerned regarding worrying movements in the bank accounts. If all these signs can be worrying, Professor Gély-Nargeot calls for nuance: “It is however important to note that these signs do not necessarily guarantee the presence of an influence. Older people are particularly vulnerable to depression and, fortunately, not all elderly people who are depressed are under the influence. »
Legal protection measures
To avoid this type of situation as much as possible, it is advisable to raise awareness in advance among caregivers and the elderly person themselves. “We must encourage them to maintain strong, regular social ties with people with whom they trust (family members, neighbors, friends, etc.) in order to reduce the risk of isolation and, thus, offer natural protection once morest the influence,” advises the specialist. She also recommends helping them to have vigilant and responsible financial management, by learning not to disclose important banking information, not to be misled by texts, emails and other requests of dubious origin. “And also encourage them to establish a mandate for the protection of the person and property, by designating a trusted person to make decisions for them in the event of incapacity,” adds Professor Gély-Nargeot.
In the event of suspicion of control, it may be necessary to take legal measures with the competent authorities to protect the vulnerable elderly person (in particular by making a report to the public prosecutor). This may also include a request for a protective measure or other appropriate legal remedies (put under guardianship, under curatorship with the courts). Family doctors and social services are also valuable contacts. In addition, the emergency number 3977 was set up by the public authorities to warn of mistreatment of a vulnerable, elderly or disabled person.
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