The elderly seem to be at the receiving end of the nastiness of their wards. According to a study conducted by Helpage India, daughters-in-law are the prime accused, in relation to cases of abuse reported against elders across the country.
Results of the study indicate that 39 per cent of daughters-in-law and 38 per cent of sons are deemed culpable. The most common form of abuse is showing disrespect (79% percent), followed by verbal abuse (76 percent) and neglect (69 per cent). Thirty nine percent of the elderly people surveyed also reported instances of physical assault.
Hyderabad leads the table with 37.50 per cent of elders getting the short end of the stick.
The cyber city is followed by Kolkata (28 per cent) and Delhi (20 per cent). Chennai registered the lowest rate at 9.64 percent.
Though Hyderabad leads the table, 92 per cent of people who responded to the survey in Thiruvananthapuram agreed to the prevalence of abuse. Of these, only 22 percent reported actual instances of experiencing abuse.
In Kerala, neglect is reported to be the most common form of abuse (34 percent people), while 37% reported disrespect. Twenty four per cent pointed fingers at their sons and 44 percent found faults with daughters-in-law. Daughters came third in the league of abusive youngsters at 32 percent.
In tier 1 metro cities daughters-in-law have been reported to be the main perpetrators of abuse while in tier II cities sons take over the mantle.
Seventeen percent elders suffer abuse at the hands of their daughters. The major reasons cited by the elderly include inability to adjust, economic dependence of the abused, increasing longevity and economic dependence of the abusers.