Social and health consequences of neglect in old age

Abstract

Introduction: The phenomenon of abandonment in older adults was presented as a social and health problem of great complexity, since it implied a direct violation of their fundamental rights and dignity. This situation was observed in a context of population aging, fragility of family networks and shortcomings of social protection systems. Its main causes were linked to caregiver exhaustion, intrafamily conflicts and lack of economic resources, factors that increased the risk of exclusion, neglect and biopsychosocial deterioration in this vulnerable population.
Development: Abandonment adopted different modalities that included the physical, manifested in the lack of attention to health and basic care; the emotional, evidenced in the rupture of affective bonds and loneliness; and the financial, associated with the deprivation of indispensable economic resources. These forms of abandonment, which often coexisted, intensified the negative consequences on health and well-being. Among the most relevant effects were the increase in chronic diseases, functional deterioration, malnutrition, depression, anxiety and the appearance of neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. Consequently, abandonment had an impact not only on the individual, but also on families and communities, generating a circle of suffering that is difficult to resolve without institutional support.
Conclusions: The analysis made it possible to ascertain that the abandonment of older adults constituted a public and ethical challenge that transcended the private sphere. The problem required comprehensive interventions that included health, psychological and social care, as well as inclusive policies and community programs. Recognizing abandonment as a violation of human dignity implied the need to build a model of dignified, healthy and accompanied aging, in which the family, the community and the State would assume a co-responsible role to prevent this form of exclusion.