27 elderly people died after abuse at home in FY 2007: gov`t survey

TOKYO, Oct. 6 Kyodo - Twenty-seven people aged 65 or older died in fiscal 2007 after suffering abuse at home by relatives who were taking care of them, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Monday.

Of the 27 who died, 13 were victims of murder, four died in murder-suicide
cases involving their relatives, seven died after relatives gave up caring for
them and the remaining three died after being assaulted by relatives.
The number of deaths was down by five from fiscal 2006, the first year the
ministry conducted the survey.
But the number of cases of such abuse stood at 13,273, up 704, or 5.6 percent.
Of the cases, 63.7 percent were categorized as physical abuse, 38.3 percent as
verbal and other psychological abuse, 28.0 percent as abandonment of care and
25.8 percent as financial abuse, such as taking their assets away. Some of the
cases in those categories overlap.
The ministry collected the data through local governments in line with a 2006
law aimed at preventing abuse of elderly people.
The number of reports received by local authorities about abuse of elderly
people was 19,971, up 1,581. After the survey, 13,273 of the 19,971 cases were
confirmed to be cases of abuse.
Of those abused, 77.4 percent were women.
Of the relatives who perpetrated the abuse, 40.6 percent were the sons of the
victims, followed by husbands at 15.8 percent, daughters at 15.0 percent,
daughters-in-law at 9.9 percent and wives at 4.9 percent.
Aside from the abuse at home, 62 cases of abuse took place at facilities for
elderly people.