The Unethical Abuse of Todays Elderly Essays -- essays research papers

THE UNETHICAL ABUSE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ON THE ELDERLY Waking up in the middle of the night frightened and shaken up is a terrible time that each one of us can remember feeling. Then having someone close to us who we trusted come in, pick us up, and hold us tight produced a sense of security. We were able to take that security, and build a dignified and confident person that grew wiser with age. It seems though that in some instances, as we grow older and wiser, some do not get the respect and dignity that is owed to them. The security that helped build their lives has been stripped from them. Seniors end up losing the human right of having dignity and security that they have come to enjoy and live with. Our human rights do not answer to the needs of today’s elderly, either through discriminatory acts, or acts of abuse. We should all be treated with the same free discriminatory human rights as well as the opportunity to equality, as stated in the Canadian Human Rights Act (CHRA). It declares that†¦ †¦[a]ll individuals should have an opportunity equal with other individuals to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have and to have their needs accommodated, consistent with their duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   To live in such a perfect world where everybody can have their needs addressed would be as though you were living a dream. But in the cruel reality, many people get discriminated against on an everyday basis; especially seniors. Many seniors today find themselves being taken advantaged of in a number of manifest and latent ways. The simple need of being treated with the same human rights as all other people is escaping our reality. As a person grows older they begin to experience the different classes of mistreatment. Although the CHRA tries to protect people with human rights, they themselves show and promote the act of discrimination. â€Å"Much of what we associate with aging is simply ‘socially constructed’† . Since the discrimination against elderly people is so characterized, it is not surprising that soc... ...manity, perhaps it should be our turn to sit and listen, rather than trying to force our realm of ideas upon them. Bibliography 1. Aitken, Brian, W. W. Ethical Issues for the Elderly: Study Guide. Huntington University, 1998. 2. Canadian Human Rights Act: Chapter H-6 3. Kosberg, Jordan, I. Abuse and Maltreatment of the Elderly: Causes and Interventions. Boston: John Wright, PSG Inc, 1983. 4. Shell, Donna, J. Protection of the Elderly: A Study of Elder Abuse. Winnipeg: Manitoba Council on Aging, 1982. 5. Supreme Court of Canada: McKinney v. University of Guelph (1990) 6. Wolf, Rosalie, S., Pillemer, Karl, A. â€Å"Helping Elderly Victims† The Reality of Elder Abuse. New York: Columbia University Press, 1989. 7. www.oaktrees.org/elder/define.shtml 8. www.oaktrees.org/elder/recog.shtml#rl 9. www.lcc.gc.ca/en/themes/pr/oa/spencer/spencer.html#chap3a 10. www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations/age-consultation-report_7.shtml 11. www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations/age-consultation-report_5.shtml 12. www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations/age-consultation-report_4.shtml 13. www.ohrc.on.ca/english/consultations/age-consultation-report_10.shtml