Profile of aggressors of older adults receiving care at a geriatrics and gerontology reference center in the Distrito Federal (Federal District), Brazil

Abstract

Objective: To profile aggressors of older adults who receive care at a reference center in geriatrics and gerontology in the Distrito Federal (Federal District), Brazil, from 2008 to 2018. Method: A retrospective, documentary, descriptive study with a quantitative approach was performed, based on information obtained from the minutes book of the unit, which contained a record of mediation meetings of cases of conflict and violence against older adults, carried out by social workers, nurses and other members of the multidisciplinary team. The data collection instrument covered the sociodemographic characteristics of the aggressor, the sociodemographic and health profile of the older adults and the type of violence suffered. Result: 111 cases were analyzed. The children of the older adults were the main aggressors (72%), with a prevalence of men (62%) and the from 51 to 60 year age group (37%). The older adults who suffered violence were predominantly women (72%), almost half of whom were aged 81 to 90 years, followed by those aged 71 to 80 years (39%). A total of 16% of the older adults lived with their children or close family members. The main types of violence evidenced were negligence (56%) and psychological violence (29%), with physical violence representing 8% of cases. Conclusion: The study of the profile of the aggressor and the older adult who suffered violence reinforced the need to focus actions within family arrangements. Investigations that address those who practice violence can contribute to the promotion of public health policies and contribute to geriatric and gerontological clinical practices that combat violence against older adults.

Violência contra a pessoa idosa no município de Campinas, São Paulo, nos últimos 11 anos: uma análise temporal

“…The predominance of neglect/abandonment (33.13%) and psychological/moral violence (24.97%) reaffirms the findings of Matos et al 14 who identified (56%) of cases of neglect and (21%) of abandonment in a study carried out at a reference center in geriatric and gerontological health at Distrito Federal. In a literature review 15 , the most common types of violence identified by the authors were the psychological, physical, and financial ones.…”

“…The literature points out that the higher frequency of aggressions in households also observed in the present study may be due to the shock of generations imposed by living together, permeated by disputes over physical space, financial difficulties, and lack of knowledge about the aging process and changes caused by the same. Besides, it is noteworthy that in our country (28%) of the homes have at least one old person and (90%) of them live with their close family members 14 .…”

“…This interaction based on differences and shared values can be a burden to the caregiver who generally works in an unpaid way and has other duties, especially when family financial resources are scarce, and in the presence of difficulties of locomotion, behavioral disorders, and cognitive deficits, often inherent to senescence and senility. These situations set the scene for the establishment of conflicts in the domestic space, usually resulting in violence 4,14 .…”

Violência contra a pessoa idosa em tempo de pandemia da covid-19

“…Quanto ao perfil do agressor, estudos (10,11) mostram que o agressor normalmente é um membro da família ou pessoas muito próximas ao idoso, do sexo masculino, adultos/ adulto jovem representado por netos e sobrinhos. Existe uma maior prevalência entre os que são desempregados, alcoolista e ou dependente de outras drogas ilícitas, dependente do idoso financeiramente ou emocionalmente, normalmente apresenta um histórico familiar de violência e reside com o idoso na mesma casa ou próximo.…”

Mediação de conflito: soluções propostas em atendimento a casos de violência contra a pessoa idosa

“…No Brasil, 28% dos lares possuem pelo menos um idoso, e os principais agressores são os filhos e os cônjuges 5,6 . A estrutura da família contemporânea, na qual há a inserção da mulher no mercado de trabalho, menor número de filhos e maior número de divórcios contribuem para a marginalização do idoso e ocorrência de violência 2,5 , em contrapartida, a família representa a principal rede de apoio da pessoa idosa, sendo uma instituição concreta de referência, conforme a legislação brasileira 7 .…”