In Singapore, the definition of an elderly person is someone aged 65 and above. Since 1965, the elderly population has increased remarkably, from 47,200 to 331,100 in 2009. (State of the Elderly in Singapore, 2009, p. 8). Young Singaporeans now have a greater responsibility in supporting the elderly. However, this working age population is often too stressed by their work and does not have time to take care of themselves. This creates a greater risk of elder abuse and neglect. Personally, I discovered newspaper articles reporting cases of domestic violence. Typically, people associate domestic violence with women and children, but too often such atrocious acts also affect the elderly. An example would be the elder abuse case that occurred at Nightingale Nursing Home. Three staff members were caught abusing a 77-year-old woman by throwing her on her bed and even slapping her, which caused a huge commotion. (Chong, 2012) These elderly people have worked hard for most of their lives and should be able to enjoy their golden years after retirement. On the contrary, they are often mistreated, especially by the people they trust the most; their children and their caregivers. Most of the time, victims do not report this abuse “for fear of rejection and the disruption of their lives; some out of pride, embarrassment or shame; some out of concern for their family's privacy and others out of fear of legal action against the alleged attacker. Others believe that they deserve to be mistreated and resign themselves to it with fatalism.” (Understanding Elder Abuse and Neglect, nd, p.13). The assumptions that the public, including myself, have about this group are that they are weak, helpless, and trusting. Some seniors are either ph...... middle of paper ......centers may hold events for seniors once a month. During this event, seniors will get to know each other better and make new friends. When a friendship is formed, elders look out for each other. If an elderly person is the victim of domestic violence, the elderly person's friends can report the case to the authorities. Alternatively, social workers fluent in dialects can be stationed on site to speak to the elderly. This makes them feel like they have a connection with social workers and, possibly, feel more comfortable sharing their feelings. Finally, filial piety is highly valued in a particularly Asian society. Everyone should treat older people with love and respect. No one should suffer in silence. If someone is a victim of elder abuse, we should not be afraid to stand up and report it. Elder abuse can be stopped if everyone works together.