Types of Emotional Abuse Against Elders, in Kilifi County, Kenya, A.C.K. Jilore Archdeaconry
Abstract
This study assesses the types of emotional abuse against elderly people in selected churches within Jilore Archdeaconry in the Malindi Diocese. The researcher chose this topic because older people are emotionally abused, exposing them to psychological effects. In addition, the emotional abuse toward elders is not recognized as other abuses on children and young people. This stage of life is very critical and sensitive because the elderly people are now physically weak and vulnerable to disease and bullying by people around them. The elders are at the end of their lives on Earth. Therefore, these people must finish well, and this will depend on how family, caregivers and all society will be involved in treating them to promote their wellbeing. The purpose of this study was to create awareness about emotional abuse towards elders and help people understand that a person's dignity does not dispraise with age. The main objective was to find out types of emotional abuse towards the elderly, determine the effects of emotional abuse on elders, identify factors contributing to elderly emotional abuse, and suggest solutions on emotional abuse towards elders within, Kilifi County, Jilore Archdeaconry. The researcher considered elders, church leaders, and caregivers’ participants in the study held in Jilore archdeaconry. A descriptive survey was used as the research design. The researcher used quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The instruments were questionnaires and follow up interview schedules for church leaders. The quantitative data collected was analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 23 while the qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis technique. The study found that most elders are emotionally affected by the abusive acts done by caregivers, their children and people living around them. The study recommended that there be intensive awareness campaigns against emotional abuse meted on the elders in Kilifi County, specifically in Jilore. Further, the community should be educated on justice in families for the wellbeing of the elder person and family stability.
Keywords: Emotional abuse, Wellbeing, Elderly, Psychological Effects
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