Old age, witchcraft accusations against the elderly in society

Ison Ndoro
Herald Correspondent

We all travel different paths in the journey of life as we transition from childhood to adulthood.

For some, the path is mesmerising, literally lined with roses and golden pavements, while in other parts, it is filled with thorns and other stumbling blocks.

Ideally, we would all wish to flawlessly cruise through transition from childhood to adulthood and into elder hood where we could reflect on a life well lived with some level of satisfaction for the accomplishments made.

However, that is not always the case, and more concerning is the fact that elder hood is fraught with a litany of challenges.

For some elderly people these challenges may include physical and mental health decline, social isolation, financial constraints, elder abuse, loss of independence and limited access to health care.

This array of vulnerabilities negatively impacts on the well-being of some individuals in their elder hood.

Today, we seek to discuss elder abuse, as we have heard horrendous reports of such cases most often occurring within the family setting.

In extreme cases, the abuse manifests as violence with the worst instances resulting in murder of the elderly by family members or the public.

Unfortunately, some elderly members are defenceless and vulnerable victims of violence, often fuelled by suspicions of witchcraft.

On October 15, The Herald reported that police had arrested Rameck Chidinika 53 of Masvingo and his three daughters, one of whom was a 15-year-old juvenile for murdering Tizirai Chidinhika 77 and Miriam Polisiri 92.

The deceased were Rameck’s parents, making this an interfamilial violent conflict that unfortunately resulted in the murder of elderly grandparents by their very own son and grandchildren.

The two grannies were accused of witchcraft.

Rameck and his daughters believed these elderly grandparents were responsible for casting spells of misfortune over them and other family members.

It is against the backdrop of tragic stories that people must reflect and reconsider their beliefs and actions against the elderly.

In a related story, I had the opportunity to visit an elderly couple that I used to know from childhood.

I imagined that they would be basking in the glory of their twilight years, as I have known them to be a hard-working couple that managed to prepare for a comfortable retirement. The two met in their early adulthood while attending Standard Six at Nyatsime College in the early 70s.

The wife narrated how she met her sweetheart with a mixture of sweet nostalgia and excruciating anguish.

She beamed with excitement, recalling how, after completing her ZJC she married her husband with whom she had spent her teenage and early adult years, enjoying ballroom dancing and serenading each other to songs such as “Hey Jude” by the Beatles and “Brown Sugar” by the Rolling Stones.

Through the passage of time, they got married and had three brilliant children whom they all sent to good schools.

Now, the children are in the diaspora with their own children, and what the couple had expected to be a comfortable retirement after years of hard work for their family has become a nightmare of terrifying proportions.

Not only are they dealing with the empty nest syndrome caused by their children’s departure, but they are also facing ostracism and hatred from other relatives who treat them with disdain and hatred, accusing them of amassing wealth and blessing their children through witchcraft.

These accusations are coming at a time when the couple is old and vulnerable.

The husband struggled to remember details about some significant events that happened in his life while the wife frequently interjected and corrected the narration due to her seemingly intact memory, her excellent communication skills, and her relatively young age.

This couple is reflective of the lived experiences of some of the elderly people in society.

Various issues, including memory loss, also known as dementia, accentuate their vulnerability.

A group of symptoms known as dementia affect memory, thinking, and social abilities, making it challenging to recall information, think logically, or solve problems.

The condition mostly affects older people, but not all old people suffer from dementia.

Mental health professionals may conceptualise this and other mental health challenges, which inevitably accompany old age for some people, from biological, psychological, or social perspectives.

However, people subscribe to various beliefs depending on their socialisation, affiliations, or understanding among other variables.

For instance, an elderly person suffering from dementia may wander aimlessly, forget directions, and even lose their way. If caregivers or the public fail to offer assistance, the situation can worsen, exposing the individual to potential dangers and accusations of witchcraft.

Stereotypes and prejudices that some people hold against the elderly compound their vulnerability and susceptibility to even more mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.

A stereotype is an oversimplified and rigid idea or belief about a specific group of people based on certain characteristics, such as age, and these ideas are typically untrue or only partially true.  They lead to unfair assumptions about individuals in that particular group.

For instance, saying that all elderly people are witches is a stereotype.

It can lead to prejudices and discrimination.

Social scientists explain prejudices as unfair and unreasonable opinions or feelings that are often negative about a person or group of people.

People form these prejudices without adequate knowledge and understanding.

Gerontophobia, defined as the fear or dislike of elderly people or the aging process, can emerge from stereotypes and prejudices formed against old people in our society. Gerontophobia entails negative attitudes, prejudices, or discrimination towards older individuals, usually due to stereotypes about aging.

People with gerontophobia may avoid interacting with the elderly and feel anxious about the prospect of getting older themselves. This type of fear can lead to the mistreatment of the elderly. Let us desist from gerontophobia and protect the vulnerable elderly among us. Let us spread some love.

Ison Ndoro is an intern Forensic Psychologist and adjunct Lecturer of Psychology at the University of Zimbabwe. He writes as an independent social commentator.