SRINAGAR: Nearly half of the elderly population in Kashmir is being abused in one or the other form, a study has revealed.
Dr Zubair Saleem, a Senior Geriatric Consultant, while speaking to a seminar at the University of Kashmir said he and his team carried out a study with a universe of 27000 individuals.
“The study involved two different settings: financially dependent and financially independent individuals among the elderly,” the doctor said. “In addition to documented effects like cardiovascular diseases and preliminary diseases, we observed psychiatric and sleep disorders among these senior citizens”
The study exposed high rates of elderly abuse, with one setting reporting 43 per cent and the other recording 52.3 per cent, leading to an estimated overall prevalence of abuse at around 50 per cent. Dr Saleem described the situation as “alarming” and highlighted the severe physical, emotional, and psychological consequences faced by elderly abuse victims.
The seminar on Elderly Abuse held at the University of Kashmir coincided with World Elderly Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD)-2023 and was jointly hosted by the Department of Social Work (DoSW) and the Gauri Kaul Foundation.
The seminar featured a panel discussion moderated by Dr Saima Farhad, with panellists including Prof Imtiyaz Ali, Dr Zubair Saleem, Prof M Afzal Qadri, and Dr Adil Bashir. KU VC, Prof Nilofer Khan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, emphasized the need to raise awareness on elderly care beyond the university’s premises. She stressed the significance of creating a society that respects and values its elders, treating them with compassion, empathy, and dignity. Registrar Dr Nisar A Mir also spoke on the occasion.
(The archival photograph used in this news report is merely representational.)
