Behind closed doors: Exposing invisible scars of financial elder abuse

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OPINION

By Maroushka F. Kanywani

Within the African – and by extension the Ugandan - cultural context, a great deal of honour is conferred to the pillars of our respective families and communities – aunts, uncles, parents, and grandparents, whose love and wisdom are the backbone of our growth and development. 

Behind closed doors, however, quite often a different tale unravels: the slow, insidious erosion of an elder’s rights and dignity through financial abuse. Most often, the perpetrators of this abuse – which causes deep, yet invisible wounds – are not strangers but the very individuals entrusted with the honourable and reciprocal duty of caring for the elderly, such as children, siblings, and other relatives. It is this proximity to, and familiarity with the elderly person that often provides the subterfuge that fosters financial abuse and guarantees the victim’s silence.

While our cultural norms and mores demand that we respect and pay deference to our elders, these very norms protect abusers, who count on the victims’ reluctance to rock the boat by asking for accountability or clarification for fear of “bringing shame” to the family name.

Invisible tug-of war: cultural values and family favours vs fiduciary responsibilities

Familial bonds and cultural norms, – most, if not all of which – precede our Penal Code and principles of fiduciary responsibility, often serve as efficient mechanisms for muzzling agency in victims of financial elder abuse, yet formal legal instruments such as Power of Attorney (POA) stipulate that withholding information or assets constitutes dereliction of duty and/or financial exploitation.

The State Minister for Elderly Affairs, Hon. Gidudu Dominic Mafaabi, speaking at the commemoration of International Day of Awareness of Elder Abuse on 20^th June, 2025, voiced his concern about the rising rates of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation, particularly among men aged 60 to 69 and women aged 70 and above.

The Ministry of Gender, Labour, and Social Development also recently raised an alarm over the growing number of cases of elder abuse – especially within their own families. According to a post-lockdown report issued by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS), 31 percent of elder abuse cases are committed by relatives other than children, while 28 percent of the cases are committed directly by the victims’ children.

Call to action: Protecting our elderly from financial abuse

1. Initiate Talks About Money: Normalise discussions about wills, land ownership, bank accounts, and POA arrangements. Encourage the elders to express their concerns without fear or shame.
2. Look for Red Flags: Abrupt account changes, refusal to discuss money matters, and self-isolation are signs that could indicate financial exploitation.
3. Legal Safeguards: Encourage elders to seek out legal advice before granting power of attorney and, if possible, designate a trusted family member or friend to handle documents.
4. Financial Institution Involvement: Banks and microfinance institutions should look out for unusual activity on seniors’ accounts and also sensitise members and the public on how to identify signs of financial elder abuse.

As Hon. Gidudu Dominic Mafaabi reminded us in June, “it is everyone’s responsibility to look out for the safety of older persons and create awareness to enable them to age with dignity. This is the way for everyone.”

Our culture teaches us to honour elders and one of the ways is to protect them from harm, even if that harm is coming from within the family. Financial elder abuse is very rarely committed by strangers; it often comes from within familial circles.

If you have an elderly person that you care about, please start the conversation today.

The writer is a communication specialist and advocate for older persons