IPA and WPA-SOAP joint statement on the rights of older persons with mental health conditions and psychosocial disabilities

Not a disease: a global call for action urging revision of the ICD-11 classification of old age

“…The risk of the current stance on ageing in the ICD-11 is the reinforcement of the widely prevalent ageistic beliefs in society as well as the mental health and medical professionals. As it stands, older adults are often at a socioenvironmental disadvantage in terms of equality in health-care provision, 6,7 and considering age as a disease will potentially magnify this. If age alone is presumed to be the cause of a disease, other factors that might precipitate or perpetuate those diseases might not be evaluated thoroughly, resulting in incomplete management.…”

Human Rights and Empowerment in Aged Care: Restraint, Consent and Dying with Dignity

“…The structures around, and the delivery of aged, or elder care are fraught with contraventions of human rights of older people, prompting debate for over a decade about the need for an international convention on the rights of older persons [2]. As implied by the term 'international', this problem is global, and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought these inequalities, discrimination, and stigma front and center [3]. The International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) and the World Psychiatric Association Section of Old Age Psychiatry (WPA-SOAP) suggest as a remedy for this huge shortfall in rights-based care and service provision, involvement and consultation with 'consumers' of this care, the people with lived experience [3].…”

“…As implied by the term 'international', this problem is global, and the COVID-19 pandemic has brought these inequalities, discrimination, and stigma front and center [3]. The International Psychogeriatric Association (IPA) and the World Psychiatric Association Section of Old Age Psychiatry (WPA-SOAP) suggest as a remedy for this huge shortfall in rights-based care and service provision, involvement and consultation with 'consumers' of this care, the people with lived experience [3].…”

“…The over-use of restraint in aged care is a prime example of human rights violations of people with disabilities in regards to (i) autonomy; (ii) dignity; (iii) equitable access to the highest attainable standard of health care, including meeting needs on account of disability; and (iv) safeguarding against abuse and torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment [3,4]. These rights are articulated in the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities [5].…”

Elder abuse among Chinese older adults: global lessons

“…To aid in the identification of elder abuse, Li has elucidated risk factors with an emphasis on physical frailty, although psychological frailty conferred by dementia, depression, and other mental health conditions are also known risk factors for abuse (Du and Chen, 2021;Wu et al, 2012). An "eyes wide-open approach" to elder abuse is needed amongst health care professionals (Peisah et al, 2021), and there is no excuse for professional ignorance (Yan, 2014). Education across all disciplinesinclusive of allied health, nursing and medical staffon attitudes towards and knowledge of elder abuse remains an imperative given their ideal position to recognize and address elder abuse (Yi and Hohashi, 2018).…”