The Invisible Vulnerability of the Elderly

Susan Ballyn

University of Barcelona, Spain

What constitutes elderly nowadays? In legal terms it appears to begin at 60 but in terms of self-awareness of age, for many, it probably begins much later. We are familiar with the topic that one is as old as one feels, but society looks upon the matter from a very different perspective. In this paper, I want to deal with the problem posed by “elderly abuse” and how the elderly form a social group which, in spite of their rapidly increasing numbers, is by and large invisible. “Elderly abuse” is endemic in our societies not only within the domestic environment but also in public institutions such as care homes and hospitals. The question is, what can be done to raise awareness of this problem? How can one detect “elderly abuse” and what can the ordinary “lay” person do about it?