Daughters-in-law are on the top abusers list

CHENNAI: Daughters-in-law  took the top slot as the major abuser of the elderly, according to a  2011 study by HelpAge India, an NGO working with the elderly.Nationally, 63.4 per cent cases had been reported where the daughters-in-law were the major abusers, according to the study, which covered the elderly in the age group of 60 plus across Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bhopal, Patna, Hyderabad and Bangalore, with a sample size of 100 per city.However, while considering the total number of elder abuse cases, Bangalore topped the chart with 44 per cent, closely followed by Hyderabad (38 per cent), Bhopal (30 per cent) and Kolkata (23 per cent). The lowest billing, ironically, was for Chennai (2 per cent), which in fact topped the charts among all the cities last year in elderly abuse (68 per cent). Indrani Rajadurai, special adviser of HelpAge India, clarified: “Definitely, there cannot be a such a huge drop in cases in Chennai. I strongly believe there is a sample error. From the field data, we feel that it is rather on the rise.”The report pointed out that about 72 per cent of the elderly stayed with their sons. In city-wise break up, Mumbai had 86 of the 60 plus population staying with the sons followed by Hyderabad (84 per cent), Patna (80 per cent) and Delhi (74 per cent). Chennai reported highest percentage of elderly staying with daughters (22 per cent).More than four-fifths 81 per cent of the elderly were financially dependent on their son and 14 per cent on their daughter and 12 per cent on their daughter-in-law.Verbal abuse was reported more in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, while emotional abuse seemed to be more in Bangalore. Having a steady cash flow, having own property to reduce economic dependency and making adjustments within family were among the prime measures suggested by the elderly to control elder abuse.