Promoting a family-friendly culture is the best way to fight elder abuse, according to the Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE).

Speaking on the UN’s World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, FAFCE President Vincenzo Bassi said elderly persons should be helped to stay with their family, but added, “it is crucial to remove all obstacles families face when taking care of their most vulnerable members.”

He said that family associations can play a key-role by creating new structures of solidarity in our communities.

The Covid-19 pandemic has seen the increased vulnerability of the elderly often forgotten about in the management of the crisis. “Many elderly persons have been left alone in care homes, where they were unable to have access to the same medical care and life-saving therapies as any other patient. We recall today the necessity to protect their dignity and their life, even and especially in the post-pandemic times: we should seize this historical moment as an opportunity to reshape the way we take care of the elderly and the way we recognise their precious role in our communities. The work of all the families who take care of elderly persons also has an economic value, even without monetary consideration. Therefore, it should be fairly awarded and encouraged through appropriate policies.”.