Dongmyeong University Operates Elder Abuse Monitoring Team 'Nodaji'

As the number of elder abuse cases has significantly increased over the past five years, the Seobu Elder Protection Agency in Busan and the Department of Social Welfare at Dongmyung University have officially launched the elder abuse prevention monitoring group ‘Nodaji.’

‘Nodaji,’ meaning ‘Let’s all protect the elderly together,’ has been conducting various and continuous professional volunteer activities such as elder abuse prevention and supporting elderly victims since its inauguration ceremony in July.

Eight social welfare students from Dongmyung University?Kim Suji, Shin Yeonjeong, An Myeongwon, An Suin, Yoo Jiyeon, Lee Yeonjeong, Choi Jeongeun, and Ha Seungjin?participated in the volunteer activities.

After completing training on precautions during counseling visits for abused elderly victims, they play the role of happiness keepers by making regular phone calls and visiting to check on their well-being. In addition, they engage in activities that convey warmth to the elderly suffering from loneliness and abuse.

Nodaji members are receiving training on precautions and other matters when visiting and counseling elderly abuse victims.

One elderly person under monitoring said, “Sometimes I was going through a tiring and difficult, monotonous daily life, but I am really grateful that students, like my grandchildren’s generation, call me and visit me to kindly talk about various things.”

Student Shin Yeonjeong said, “At first, approaching elderly people I didn’t know well was vague and intimidating, but after receiving related professional training, I gained confidence. I feel a great sense of fulfillment thinking that I can help those who have suffered from abuse.”

Professor Yoon Ki-hyuk of the Department of Social Welfare at Dongmyung University, who initiated the monitoring group, emphasized, “The program will provide emotional and psychological stability to elderly abuse victims, raise awareness of elder abuse prevention among the younger generation, and serve as an opportunity to draw attention to this issue among the older generation.”

Oh Jooyoung, director of the Seobu Elder Protection Agency, said, “Monitoring abused elderly victims itself will raise awareness among abusers and greatly help prevent recurrence.”

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, elder abuse has been steadily increasing over the past five years. In particular, since 2021, elder-to-elder abuse has been the most frequent.

The increase in elder-to-elder abuse, rather than abuse by children, is a phenomenon resulting from ultra-aging and the increased burden of elder care, and such elder abuse is pointed out to have a very high possibility of recurrence.