DOMESTIC MALTREATMENT OF THE ELDERLY IN OREDO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, EDO STATE
`ABSTRACT
This paper examines nature and causes of domestic mistreatment/abuse and neglect of the elderly. Some of the elderly people have challenges of poverty and diseases of old age such as stroke, depression, dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Because of their shortcomings, they depend on their families and other caregivers for care and which normally result in abused in the process. Also in the absence of institutional care, adult children who are too busy to take care of their parents hire caregivers who also, maltreat them.
Unfortunately, the elderly are unable to challenge their abusers and have no way of reporting their abuse and so many suffer in silence. Nigeria has the largest number of elderly people over 60years of age, South of the Sahara, yet there is very little put in place by the government by way of institutional policies and legislation or even implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action on Aging, to which it is a signatory. For now, families continue to bear the burden of caring for their elderly members but this is increasingly difficult for them. Some elderly members live in destitution and are left at the mercy of the public or good Samaritans.
The literature review indicates there is a high prevalence of elder abuse in Nigeria in spite of the respect that the aged command. The paper highlights the difficulties elderly people face in Oredo local government area of Edo state.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1    Background to the Study     -    -    -    
1.2    Statement of Problem     -    -    -    
1.3    Aims and Objective of the Study    -    -
1.4    Research Question     -    -    -
1.5    Relevant Research Hypothesis    -    -
1.6    Significance of the Study    -    -
1.7     Scope of the Study     -    -    
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1    Introduction    -    -    -    -    -    -
2.2    Empirical Review of Previous work in the area of
studies Ageing in Nigeria    -    -    -    -
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
3.1     Introduction     -    -    -    -    -    
3.2    Research Design     -    -    -    
3.3    Population of the study    -    -    -
3.4    Sampling, Procedure and Sample Size    -    -
3.5         Data Collection Instrument and Validation    -
3.6    Method of Data Analysis    -    -    
CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
4.1        Introduction     -    -    
4.2            Test of Hypotheses    -    -    
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1    Introduction -    -        -    -
5.2    Summary of Research Findings -    -    -
5.3    Conclusion    -    -    -    -    
5.4    Recommendations     -    -    -    
5.5    Suggestion For Further Study    -    -
References     -    -    -
Appendix    -    -    
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1        Background to the Study
Ageing of the population is one of the most important demographic facts that came to the foreground in the 21st century. In the whole world, people live longer having high life expectance, decrease in birth rates, controlled fertility, and consequently, the elderly population increases.Several studies are being conducted on the abuse and neglect of the elderly. Despite the challenges of providing a universal definition for abuse and neglect of the elderly, it is generally agreed that there are three basic categories of abuse and neglect, including domestic elderly abuse, institutional abuse, and self-abuse (McDonald & Collins, 2000). The focus of this study is on the nature and causes of domestic mistreatment of elderly people.
The elderly people who had come to earth as babies, had spent their useful life in the service to humanity, most of them retired from active service and are now waiting for exist from the world into eternity. This group of individuals is in a stage of life known as late adulthood, a stage in life which people are known as elderly or referred to as aged. This period in the life span is characterized by declines that occur in association with advanced ageing in almost all aspects of development (Bigner, 1994; Santrock, 2006). Elderly people are between the age of 60 and extends to the period of near death or process of dying. This period of life is characterized by unique challenges/problems. Despite all those problems and challenges, youthfulness is been promoted by both the citizen and government.
The united nations, recognized the importance of taking care of the elderly so in 1982 at Vienna, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a set of principles for older persons recommending that all members states incorporate them in their programmes for the old. Section 14 of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria made provisions for the aged, which state that "the security and welfare of its people shall be the primary purpose of the government" and section 16, sub-section 2(d) promises, "that suitable and adequate shelter and suitable adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizen". In contrary to what the constitution stipulated, the elderly are not covered by any of the social security scheme and they are left for the relations to take care. The onty beneficiaries are those in the formal employment who are enjoying pensions which is inadequate and often delayed due to corruption in pension system. And as Magnus Eze, Director, Parlia Consult rightly observed, "no government policy or legislation is in place with which government can provide for the aged".
Consequently, the elderly are left to suffer different forms of abuse and neglect, this may primarily be due to the economic situation of the children or intentionally abuse and neglect the elderly.
1.2    Statement of the Problem
The growing number of aged calls for the urgent formulation of policy. The world population of the elderly is estimated to 64.6 million in 2015, and it is expected to rise to 103 million in 2030 and by 2050, it should be 205 million elderly people (U.N., 2002). Nigeria has the highest number of elderly people in south of the Sahara desert, over the age of 60 years.
There are no reliable data in Nigeria on the prevalence of incidence of elderly abuse and neglect. In occasion when the act of abuse and neglect is committed, it is hidden by elder, their families, and communities to a large extent. So it is very difficult to quantify elderly abuse and neglect as this occur in the privacy of the home, institutions and the reporting system for elderly abuse are almost absent in the country.
In order for the government to formulate the right policy, it is pertinent to take critical look at the nature and causes and neglect of the elderly. This study will focus on and attempt to identify the nature and causes of domestic maltreatment of the elderly.
1.3     Aims and objective of the study
a)    To determine the rate of abuse and neglect of the elderly people in Oredo Local Government Area.
b)    To identify the causes of domestic maltreatment of the elderly people,
c)    To identify the nature of the domestic maltreatment of the elderly people,
d)    To determine the socio-demographic characteristic of the elderly people.
e)    To emphasize the need for elderly care.
1.4    Research question
a)    What is the rate of abuse and neglect among the elderly people in Oredo Local Government Area?
b)    What is the causes of domestic maltreatment of the elderly people?
c)    What is the nature of domestic maltreatment of the elderly people?
d)    What are the socio-demographic characteristics of the elderly people?
e)    What are the care of the elderly?
1.5    Relevant research hypothesis
Hypothesis I
Hoi: Over dependence by elderly persons for care and meeting of needs proves stress on the supporting relation and does not result in abusive situation.
Hypothesis II
H02: The level of domestic abuse and neglect does not depend on the social class and financial status of the elderly person.
1.6    Significance of the study
The voice of the older, people and their experience of abuse and neglect remain largely unheard as to ascertain the causes and nature of the abuse and neglect. A lacuna has been created, whereby the causes and nature are still somewhat absent from published studies.
In order to properly analyze the abuse and neglect of the elderly a better understanding of the nature and causes of domestic maltreatment should be understood.
The study will profile solution to elderly abuses in the local government area and in the country at large. It will serve the caregivers for the elderly the best technique and method to handle the elderly. However it help policy maker to make policy that will favour the elderly in the country. The study will contribute to the body of knowledge and also serve as reservoir for other researchers, It will help social worker to advocate for the elder in the society.
1.7    Scope of the study
This study is limited to residence of the Oredo local government area in Benin City of Edo state.
Among others, the constraints encountered in the cause of the research work include: financial constraint, unwillingness of the respondent to complete the questionnaire logically and inability of the respondent to return the questionnaire on time and duly completed.