A PSYCHOSOCIAL PROBLEM: ELDERLY CRISIS THAT TURNS FROM PREJUDICE TO VIOLENCE

Abstract

The purpose of this research is; to address the connection of violence against the elderly with prejudice, social stigma, and abuse and to explain at which stage of psychosocial development the elderly who will be exposed to violence could not overcome the crisis from the perspective of E. Erikson. Within the scope of the research, the relevant issues were systematically examined and evaluated from different sources after the year 2000. According to the results obtained, studies mainly emphasize the increase in the elderly population, the theory of demographic transformation that will be caused, abuse and active labor force. On the other hand, it has been noticed that the studies on the rates of violence against the elderly in Turkey are insufficient, and the role of prejudices against the elderly and their psychosocial development in being victims of violence has not been addressed. It is seen that elderly groups constitute a threat to society and are exposed to discrimination, neglect, and even violence, especially economic and psychological abuse. It has been evaluated that the state of not producing, which causes a negative attitude towards the elderly, is related to the crisis of generativity versus stagnation in Erikson's 7th stage; also attitudes of the elderly who have anger towards society are related to the crisis of integrity versus despair in the 8th stage. The research will contribute to the literature by establishing a link between the phenomenon of ageism that threatens human rights and developmental psychology.