Elder Abuse in the Health Care Services in Kenya

This study analysed views on elder abuse in the health sector in Kenya. Data was collected using focus group discussions and some in-depth interviews. Information gathered from focus group discussions reveal that elder abuse does exist not only in the health sector but also in the wider community in Kenya. Type, causes and consequences of elder abuse that were vividly described in focus group discussions revealed that older persons are denied a range of rights. The report staes that abuse is therefore the antithesis of the spirit of the United Nations Principles for Older Persons: independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment and dignity.

According to the study, there are a number of interventions in society but overall, they were deemed inadequate (by discussants) given the magnitude of the problem.

Themes covered during the focus group discussions were:

• The main problems faced by older women and men.
• Older people's roles within communities.
• Perceptions of what elder abuse is and its different forms.
• Perceptions of the contexts in which abuse occurs, and its perceived causes.
• Situations where different acts of abuse are acceptable or unacceptable.
• Situations where it is appropriate for institutions such as family, community, law and other formal and informal institutions to intervene.
• The consequences of elder abuse for older people, their families and the community.
• Perception on the incidence of elder abuse in the area and why.
• Whether there are "seasonal" influences or patterns on abuse
• Perceptions of elder abuse as a health issue and as an issue of concern for health care workers.
• Identification of existing/needed health and social services and community support in relation to violence and abuse.

Reccomendations from the report

a. It is recommended that there is need for the government to initiate the establishment of healthcare policies and structures that ensure the protection of the rights of ALL citizens while being especially sensitive to the rights of the older persons and other vulnerable sections of the community.

b. Hospital administration should come up with policies and systems to monitor the work of health workers to ensure that patients are handled well.

c. It is suggested that the government of Kenya should review the cost-sharing programme in public hospitals. Paid healthcare as recommended by the structural adjustment programme (SAPs) is beyond the majority of Kenyans.

d. It is further recommended that non-governmental organisations (NGOs) step up to the need to sustainably improve the lives of the elderly in Kenya rather than leaving the task to the government and charitable foundations. Other interventions that need to be strengthened are legal redress system and community arbitration system. The provincial administration, ministry of health, social services and the judiciary are other channels through which elder abuse can be tackled.

e. There is need for older people’s organisations to input into the training curricula of the health care workers to ensure that the rights and special needs of older people are addressed at every level of the healthcare delivery system.

f. It is strongly recommended that further research be undertaken so as to enable better understanding of the problem and effective planning for its intervention. The survey would include an analysis of the magnitude and various dimensions of elder abuse, an assessment of the effectiveness of existing interventions and the status of implementation of global and national policy/action instruments in Kenya.

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