노인학대 피해의 대처 및 예방을 위한 전략에 대한 고찰

Abstract

In recent years the older persons in Korea are living longer than ever before and in greater numbers than previously experienced with advances in medical research, nutrition, and health care. But reported cases of elder abuse are increasing as older persons live longer. The older person might be easily subjected to being a pray of the crimes more than the younger, because the older person usually is becoming weaker and weaker gradually. The older persons are usually reluctant to report the elder abuse, because the perpetrator of abuse is a member of their family in many cases. In those cases older victims are afraid of being broken off from the family members for his or her abuse report. In some cases older victims are not able to report the abuse, because the older victims suffer from physical and cognitive disabilities. In these situations there are considerable difficulties in detecting and punishing the abusers as well as in supporting the older victims. The perpetrator of elder abuse is usually subjected to the criminal sanctions. Through the criminal sanctions the criminal justeice system aims to detect the abusers and to reform and rehabilitate them. But in that way there is no place to help and support the old victims. The elder abusing situation recurs again, because the elders who suffered from mistreatment remain in the same circumstances or same places including the health care facility and home. In that way there would be no problem solving against the elder abuse. In order to cope with the elder abuse appropriately, it must be completed to harmonize the functions and operations of the whole welfare system for elders. It also needs to constitute the Multi-Disciplinary Team( MDT) for resolving elder abuse and helping elder victims effectively. It is a integrated support system for elders, which deals the elder abuse case, offers medical care for elder abuse victims and advises to elders who care about the financial exploitation problems. MDT is usually consisted of the specialized members including the lawyer, social welfare worker, doctor, psychological counselor, police officer etc. MDT members must cooperate with each other, and they consult the effective resolving strategies about the individual case so that they can decide to intervene in a abuse case at an appropriate moment during the phase of the abuse, or not to intervene. They also can decide the concrete types of intervention which help the elders escape the abuse situation. The types of intervention include the education and psychological counselling for the abusing children of elders, criminal prosecution and court order of keeping an abusing actors distant from the elders.