'Murder by Family' All Too Common Says Franklin Woman

Franklin resident Jane Zeman, a woman of wide experience in business and science, found out the hard way what happens to elders when their kin are neglectful or worse.  The situation can lead to what she calls "Murder by Family," which is a 'crime' that barely registers in statistics or headlines because it is so easy to hide it within the normal workings of a medical and elder care system that is at best highly imperfect.

Her recently launched web site, murderbyfamily.com focuses in particular on the untimely death of her good friend and the slippery slopes that led to his demise. But she believes the basic outlines of his story probably pertain to the fates of many, many other older Americans. 

According to the World Health Organization, "The abuse of older people, also known as elder abuse, is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person. This type of violence constitutes a violation of human rights and includes physical, sexual, psychological and emotional abuse; financial and material abuse; abandonment; neglect; and serious loss of dignity and respect."

Key Facts

Also according to WHO:

• Around 1 in 6 people 60 years and older experienced some form of abuse in community settings during the past year.

And, adds Zeman, " Almost all elder abuse is perpetrated by family members, it is hard to recognize, and almost impossible to stop." But she hopes her web site will be a start in raising awareness and helping older Americans to be advocates for each other as they age.