Health Essentials
Is abuse of the elderly real?
The elderly are at risk of various forms of abuse
“This week, we are charting a path that we do not often do. An area that people too often gloss over but it is one that is becoming increasingly troubling. Guess who delivered this apt, informative, and thought-provoking piece?
The one and only Dr. Yaw Berko aka Yaw B who is my akonta, friend and colleague. Do not just enjoy reading but also let us all take the necessary steps to protect our priceless men and women in their golden years.”
As a child, I used to live in a compound house at Adabraka. My understanding at the time was that the complex was built by an old lady who had turned over the management of the buildings to her son who collected rent!
Looking back, I believe the old lady had dementia and sometimes soiled herself! This action was met with emotional and physical abuse at the hands of the son! I feel so bad I could not do anything about it, but I was a child at that time.
With the advent of this unfortunate pandemic and its resultant shutdown of the economy and social distancing, depression and other psychiatric illnesses have increased in incidence!
In fact, emotional and physical abuses have been rampant in this pandemic! I can imagine that our elders are not exempt from abuse in this perilous time!
I would like to bring to the fore what elder abuse is and how to prevent or report it when you witness one.
To grasp how the elderly can easily be abused, it is imperative to consider some of the physiological changes that occur as we all age. Our skin loses thickness and elasticity which makes it more prone to bruising!
The elderly lose muscle mass and have generalised reduction in hormone production and activity.
This results in easy bruising, poor bone formation, and increased risk for falls leading to trauma and fractures! The loss of neurons and brain mass causes dementia. Urinary and fecal incontinence can lead to offensive smell and pressure ulcers.
What exactly is elder abuse? Up-to-date, an electronic clinical resource tool for physicians and patients that provides information on adult primary care and internal medicine defines it as any action taken by a person who has an ongoing relationship with an older person that harms the older person and is done with the intent to harm.
Abuse could be physical, emotional, financial, and even sexual abuse.
Physical abuse causes physical pain or injury to the older adult. Emotional abuse entails verbal assaults, threats of abuse, harassment, and intimidation.
Financial abuse leads to misuse or withholding of an older adult’s resources by another. Sexual abuse involves forcing the older person to remove clothing or do any sex act or downright rape!
Statistics are hard to come by in Ghana but in America, it is believed that approximately one in 10 elders experience some form of abuse! I suspect the incidence in Ghana is about the same or higher but will not be known because it is a taboo to talk about such.
The elderly who are at risk of the various forms of abuse are women, those older than 80 years, older people with dementia, and those with less social connections and have trouble paying bills!
Unfortunately, abusers are both women and men and in most cases are family members! Two-thirds of perpetrators are adult children (as I witnessed as a child) or even spouses! In some instances, the abuser may be someone who cares for older people, maybe a house help hired by family members to take care of their loved ones.
It is very easy to suspect abuse in the elderly. Things to look for are cuts and bruises. Pain, soreness, and bleeding in the anal or genital area are some indicators.
Pressure ulcer on the buttocks that develop when a person sits in one position for too long must arouse your antennae for elder abuse!
Elders with a strong smell of urine or faeces suggest poor hygiene and lack of proper care. Emotional abuse sometimes leads to withdrawal from normal activities, unusual depression, and frequent arguments between the caregiver and the older adult.
The effects of elder abuse are daunting. Abuse in the elderly population causes a 300 per cent higher risk of death as compared to those who have not been mistreated.
So how does one prevent elder abuse? The most important thing to do is to keep in touch with him or her. You can also ask the elderly direct questions if you suspect abuse or neglect!
I always suggest paying unexpected visits to their homes if they are under the supervision of a caregiver!
Some countries have adult protective services that seek the interest of the elderly population! If none of that exists in Ghana, I strongly urge the Social Welfare Department to set up one and educate the general population about the existence of elder abuse and how it can be reported.
So just as the Bible says in Exodus 20:12, “honour your father and mother so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” This is the time to take care of our elders who nourished us from the womb to who we are today.
Good luck!
Source:
Dr. Yaw Berko
(yawberko2001@gmail.com)
References
● Ref National Council on Aging NCOA
● National institute on aging
● Uptodate
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials
Are you still waiting to fall sick before eating well?
This week I feature an amazing writer as we take a break from the discussion on Nutrition. After reading the article I just had to share.
Diet tips nauseate many people, they just do not want to hear them. Often, they say, now that they can afford food; they are being asked not to eat. These comments make us dieticians feel unwanted by such persons.
We do know that people who make excuses to be able to eat just any how do lack the necessary understanding of how food can damage their health and ruin their lives. To them, food is just meant to be enjoyed as a reward for their hard work. This is a sorry situation, I must admit. Not everything you can afford is good for your health.
On the contrary, I have come across some persons who can even afford all the food in the world but exercise a lot of restraints, just so they eat only what is healthy and safe for them. They are well informed about the fact that eating just anyhow can make them sick. This is good and anyone who falls under this category is encouraged to continue being who they are.
The food you eat determines how healthy you become in the medium to long term. Non-communicable diseases i.e. diabetes, hypertension, obesity, heart diseases, etc can be brought upon you just because you eat just anything food in the wrong quantities and at the wrong times.
And so, eating the right foods can also make it possible for you to avoid these lifelong diseases.
Pay attention to what you eat, let what you eat be in your plans for the day. Then plan for the food to be available, so you eat on time. Do not be like those who just start their day and only know about food when hunger strikes; such people always end up eating any food that comes their way.
If possible, cook your own food, and even take some along for lunch when going to work. If you must buy food and you can talk to your catering service provider, talk to them about the need to go low on oil, salt and frying.
Get the catering service provider of your company trained on healthy cooking methods by a qualified dietician so that whatever they churn out for your consumption at work is healthy. On the contrary, when you leave them to do their own thing, you are sure to be eating unhealthy foods. They will only serve you what is delicious and appealing, not what is healthy.
The question is are those nice smelling and nice tasting foods healthy for you? Remember that repeated intake of the wrong foods at work means a lifelong habit of eating bad foods which is a sure way to developing non-communicable diseases.
Do not join those who care-less about what they eat; such people are planning a future of misery with bad diseases. Get it done right and eat the right foods in the right proportions and at the right time.
Get a dietician’s advice on how best to cook and eat your food; you will thank me later!!!
The writer is a Dietician with LETS Consult (Dieticians, Diet foods, Diet books) & Author of the following books;
1. Eating to prevent and manage lifestyle diseases.
2. Live long by eating well – Vol. 1
3. Be your own dietician – Vol. 1
Tel/WhatsApp: 0595667197, Email: letsconsult@gmail.com, Website: www.letsabooks.com
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@healthessentialsgh.com)
*Dr. Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “The majority of us need to Eat Less and remember that one cannot exercise or medicate himself out of a bad diet.”
By Wise Chukwudi Letsa
Health Essentials
Safety like charity, begins at home
“The day is near at hand when the doctor will no longer be engaged to patch up the sick man, but to prevent him from getting sick. He will VISIT FAMILIES, EXAMINE THE PREMISES, inspect factories and shops and give instruction to his patients how to keep from getting sick…….”- 1908 article.
A very accurate prediction I must say as health and wellness continues to evolve.
Safety in our homes is an extremely important issue since preventable injuries and deaths continue to rise in homes and communities. To make a significant impact, we need to be aware of the hazards around us and change our behaviour. One little change at a time could lead to great results.
It is frightening to learn that in some countries, up to 70 per cent of all unintentional-injury deaths occur in the home or community. In plain language you are more likely to be injured at home than anywhere else. Each year thousands of people are off work for more than a week as a result of a fall at home, and this has a big effect on businesses and organisations.
The leading causes of unintentional injury in the home and community include:
1. Poisoning
2. Falls
3. Choking
4. Drowning
5. Fires/flames
WATCH THESE AREAS
• Kitchen and cooking areas
o A no-go area for children. Everyone working in the accident and emergency department of a hospital will tell you that on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons when most people do their weekly cooking, many children suffer from severe burns.
o Appropriate way of using the burners on a stove. Avoid handles of cooking pots facing your work area. The gas cylinder should be in a very well-ventilated area outdoors
o Care of spills. Clean them as soon as they occur to avoid slips.
• Electrical Appliances
o All appliances switched off after use and plug removed from socket
o Avoid touching of an electrical appliance with wet hands
o Electrical cords should be out of the way to avoid tripping people.
• Bathroom
o Children should never be left alone in a bathroom
o The use of mats in a bath especially for children and the elderly
o The elderly (above 65 years but could be younger depending on the health status) should use showers with support bars and stools instead of bathtubs.
• Other areas
o Avoid making a mess since they can cause one to trip sometimes with grave consequences. Children should be taught to pick up their toys after use.
o Adults should avoid drinking from bottles since children copy this habit and may harm themselves in the process. In our setting many children tend to drink kerosene stored in “soft” drink bottles. We then worsen the condition by forcing them to drink palm oil and inducing vomiting and often getting this concoction into their lungs. Who really “instituted” this criminal sentence?
o All medications, chemicals, small substances etc should be kept out of the reach of children
OTHER GENERAL STEPS TO AVOIDING HAZARDS
1. Look around for anything that may cause an accident. Make use of the different senses, sight, smell, hearing, touch. May not be a smart idea to try taste.
2. Decide who is most at risk. This helps you to make appropriate changes
3. Take preventive measures. After reading this piece make the changes necessary. Do not wait to “learn from experience” it may not always be wise to learn from the best teacher.
4. Keep a record of what you have changed
5. Continually check your living space – please do not think that making a one–time attempt is all that you need. Do this every day or every week.
COMMON CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS IN THE HOME
1. Poorly organised and cluttered walkway
2. Inadequate or unsuitable lighting
3. Moving or handling a load incorrectly – remember that waist or back pain?
4. Rushing around with careless abandon. Most of the time we end up losing time.
5. Tiredness. We commit errors when tired. Do not try to cheat nature, get some rest.
6. Lack of balance or appropriate mobility.
7. Poor eyesight and/or inappropriate corrective lenses.
8. Medication that may lead to dizziness. The elderly for instance who are on several medication have an increased risk of falling.
ECONOMIC COSTS OF ACCIDENTS AT HOME
The cost of home accidents is high in terms of the number of lives lost and resulting permanent disabilities. Several working days are lost, which translates into lost productivity. Huge sums of money may be lost seeking medical care and the quality of life is also poor.
The benefits of prevention of injuries at home are clear and quantifiable in terms of health and economic costs:
• Potential to save lives
• Improved quality of life
• Reduction in cost of hospital care
• Improved productivity through people’s contribution to the economy.
With all these benefits that we can chalk from keeping our home safe, one wonders why very little is heard about bringing safety home. Hopefully this will be the beginning of a nationwide drive.
Let us all pledge to “reduce the number of accidental deaths and injuries in our homes.” A home should be a place where we are absolutely SAFE.
AS ALWAYS LAUGH OFTEN, ENSURE HYGIENE, WALK AND PRAY EVERYDAY AND REMEMBER IT’S A PRICELESS GIFT TO KNOW YOUR NUMBERS (blood sugar, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, BMI)
Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
Health Essentials Ltd (HE&W Group)
(dressel@healthessentialsgh. com)
*Dr Essel is a Medical Doctor with a keen interest in Lifestyle Medicine, He holds an MBA and is an ISSA Specialist in Exercise Therapy, Fitness Nutrition and Corrective Exercise. He is the author of the award-winning book, ‘Unravelling The Essentials of Health & Wealth.’
Thought for the week – “Whatever you practice GROWS STRONGER! What are you practicing?”
References:
1. www.nsc.org (national safety council)
2. www.homesafety.co.nz
3. www.injuryobservatory.net
4. www.webmd.com
By Dr. Kojo Cobba Essel
