Reports of elder-abuse exceed 26,000

FAMILY PRESSURES: Economic-abuse entries rose to 362 last year, with an official saying that such cases often involve psychological and physical violence

• By Lin Chih-yi, Su Chin-feng and Sam Garcia / Staff reporters, with staff writer

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More than 26,000 cases of domestic violence against elderly people were reported last year, Ministry of Health and Welfare data showed, highlighting the need to protect Taiwan’s 4.67 million people aged 65 or older.

Reports of suspected domestic violence against elderly people rose to 26,684 cases last year from 20,182 in 2022, Department of Protective Services data showed.

There were 14,292 cases in the first half of this year, with psychological abuse accounting for 44.1 percent, physical abuse 37.9 percent, and stalking or harassment 25.5 percent, with some cases involving multiple forms of abuse, the department said.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare logo is pictured in an undated photograph.

Photo: Chiu Chih-jou, Taipei Times

Nearly 58 percent of the cases involved the elderly person’s descendants, while 27.1 percent involved a spouse or partner, it added.

Economic abuse was recorded 362 times last year, up from 161 in 2022, it said.

In the first half of this year, 188 entries were recorded in the economic-abuse classification, or 1.32 percent of the total number of reported cases, the department said.

Elder abuse is often associated with family dynamics and the distribution of family resources, department Director Kuo Tsai-jung (郭彩榕) said yesterday.

Supporting families and helping them improve their relationships are important in preventing this kind of domestic violence, she said.

The ministry has worked with local governments to promote public awareness of elder abuse as well as the 113 hotline for domestic violence, while bolstering reporting mechanisms, Kuo said.

Economic abuse often involves psychological and physical violence as well, stemming from the pressures of long-term care and family dependency, especially when older people cannot work, she said.

In some cases where adult children depend on money from their parents, they might have feelings of low self-worth due to employment setbacks or health issues, and could turn to emotional manipulation and verbal and physical abuse to control their parents, she said.

If family conflicts are not addressed, more serious violence could occur if parents lose their ability to care for themselves, household resources become scarce or their children have substance abuse problems, she added.

In cases such as these, social workers usually conduct interviews and provide psychological support to help parents establish financial and emotional boundaries, while guiding parents toward legal resources to protect themselves, Kuo said.

One way to prevent elder abuse is to ease the caregiving burden on family members by utilizing long-term care services, Providence University adjunct associate professor of social work Wang Hsiu-yen (王秀燕) said.

It is important to improve communication and caregiving skills by deepening an understanding of the physical, psychological and social aspects of aging, as well as proper care for people with dementia, she said.

In addition, older people who are still mobile should be encouraged to take part in activities to prevent them from becoming socially isolated, Wang said.

Elderly people and their families should report any abuse and seek help, she added.