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Impact and Effects of Violence Against Older Persons

This module highlights the impact and effects of violence against older persons, including poor physical and mental health, depression, and loss of will to live. It explores populations most likely to experience violence and the under-reporting of this issue. The module also examines the impact on emotional/mental health, physical health, sexual health, spiritual health, and financial well-being. It discusses coping strategies and the needs of older victims of violence, such as safety, support, and access to resources.

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Impact and Effects of Violence Against Older Persons

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  1. Respect Aging:Preventing Violence against Older Persons Section 1: RECOGNITIONModule 7: Impact and effects of violence against older persons Violence Prevention Initiative

  2. Agenda • Welcome • Brainstorming • Learning together: • Impact & effects of violence against older persons • Small group activity • Reporting back to whole group • Wrap-up / Evaluation

  3. Violence among older adults can lead to… • Poor physical and mental health • Depression • Loss of will to live • Suicide

  4. Populations most likely to experience violence… • Older persons who: • Are female • Are immigrants or refugees • Are Aboriginal • Have disabilities • Are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender • Are members of any group outside the dominant culture • Live in rural or isolated regions • Live with poverty

  5. Statistics • 4-10% have suffered from violence • Likely that these numbers are a lot higher • Much of the violence against older persons is never reported • Under-reporting means not knowing the real size of the problem

  6. Impact of violence • Emotional/mental health • Physical health • Sexual health • Spiritual health • Financial well-being

  7. Impact of violence on…Emotional/mental health • Depression • Stress may make other health problems worse • Shame, guilt, embarrassment • Low sense of self-worth and dignity • Substance abuse/addiction • Withdrawn, suicidal

  8. Impact of violence on…Physical health • Increased chances of illness or death from injuries • Injuries take longer to heal • Injuries may make existing health problems worse

  9. Impact of violence on…Sexual health • Sexually transmitted diseases • Pelvic, genital pain • Urinary infections

  10. Impact of violence on…Spiritual health • Violence can happen in any faith community • Health of body, emotions, mind affects spiritual health • Faith or spiritual practices can help by providing comfort and strength

  11. Impact of violence on…Financial well-being • Most common form of violence against older persons • Being alone or ill may make an older person vulnerable to fraud or theft • Perpetrator may take wrongful control of older person’s funds • Women more affected than men

  12. Impacts on family & community • Damage self-worth and dignity • Social isolation • Creates dependencies • Intergenerational cycle of violence • Puts burden on families that may already be stressed

  13. Impacts on societal health • Affects social, health & justice systems • Violence against older persons may be considered “rare” • Social policies assume all families can care for aging relatives

  14. Coping strategies • Older persons living with violence may try to manage their situations by: • Silence, denial • Minimization • Rationalization

  15. Older victims of violence want… • The violence to stop • To feel safe • To be heard and believed • Adequate funds • Reliable, available, respectful medical care • Housing that meets their needs • Access to support and counselling • To be a part of their family, community, society • To feel respected and valued • Information on law and human rights

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