One in five Israeli elderly experience abuse

The Jerusalem Post reported yesterday:

The Social Workers’ Organization reported Sundaythat one in five elderly in Israel are abused, either by family membersor caregivers.

While previous poverty reports reported that 25 percent of theelderly population lives under the poverty line, the Social Workers’Organization reported that “more than one in four elderly…are unable tolead a dignified existence.”

“Something in our moral system has been completely lost,” saidItzik Peri, representative of the Organization to the Histadrut. “Thecountry needs to come out and say that this is a population at riskthat contributed, toiled, and was partner in building many of thethings in this state. And suddenly we see that after we’ve used them,we throw them to the dogs.”

The annual Social Workers’ Conference is set to open on Monday in Haifa.