The purpose of this research was to assess the HEARTS of older persons in the Philippines. An Acronym used for H-Health, EA- Experience of Abuse, R-Resilience, T-Treatment and S-Safety. The researchers aimed to identify interventions that will enhance resilience and address the experience of abuse among Filipino older persons in an urban city in the Philippines. Results of this research could benefit older persons towards comprehensive, person-centered, efficient, and effective delivery of nursing care that is responsive to their needs.
Methods:
The study explored the HEARTS of older persons by using the EASI (Elder Abuse Suspicion Index) Questionnaire that determined experience of abuse and CD-RISC-10 (Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale 10) determined resilience. Both tools are translated and back translated in Filipino.
EASI or Elder Abuse Suspicion Index is a tool that helps identify and report elder abuse, including Physical abuse, Sexual abuse, Emotional or Psychological abuse, Abandonment, Financial abuse and exploitation, Neglect, and Self- Neglect. The Connor-Davidson Resilience consists of 10-items (CD-RISC) (Campbell-Sills & Stein, 2007) that is used to measure psychological resilience.
Results:
The correlation between abuse and resiliency score is not significant; it also has a very low positive correlation. Less probability of exposure to abuse for the respondents may not imply strong resiliency score.
According to World Report on Violence and Health, older people are isolated because of physical infirmities. Furthermore, loss of friends and family members reduces the opportunities for social interaction. Older person are often depicted being frail, weak and dependent. Older person becomes non-resilient because of the aspect of elder abuse that has perhaps received least attention is the impact on the older person. Few studies have looked at the psychological impact on an abused person. Thus, elder person may not imply strong resiliency score may be because not all of the elder person have experienced a life altering experience, such as loss of a loved ones and shattering or depressing event to remain stable and return to healthy physiological functioning after an incident or situation (Masten, 2011).
Conclusion:
The study gave evidences to the resiliency of Filipino older persons even in time of elder abuse. None of them stated any experience on being touched, being physically hurt nor being forced to sign papers or use their money against their will. However, they do attest to being verbally abused by their family members. Thus, the study recommends the use of technology as an intervention that may help prevent the occurrence of other forms of elder abuse in the country.
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