With one third of those affected putting it on top of the list, mistreatment or misbehaviour is the most common form of abuse faced by the elderly in India, according to a recent study.
The Agewell Foundation, which works for the welfare and empowerment of the elderly, said that out of 28,295 affected elderly respondents, 10,452 (36.94 per cent) ranked mistreatment as the most common form of abuse.
As many as 6,204 affected respondents (21.78 per cent) said restrictions in their social life by family members or others was second common form of abuse faced by them.
The survey sample included 50,000 elderly persons from 300 districts across the country. Out of the 50,000 elderly respondents, 29,693 claimed that they are self-dependent so far as financial independence is concerned.
Almost 26.51 per cent (13,256 respondents) said that they are dependent on their family members for finances while another 14.1 per cent (7,051) were depending on people other than their own family members.
Of the 29,693 persons who claimed to be financially independent, only 29.26 per cent (45.85 per cent elderly men and 8.39 per cent elderly women) had actual control over their finances, according to the study. A whopping 14,364 of them said they could not manage their money matters as their family members or relatives don't allow them to.
Remaining 70.74 per cent respondents have only partial or no control over their finances.
