Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Retiree Doris Lor described being bullied by other residents of the Chandler retirement community where she resides.
Evidently, this is a growing national issue. Here's a snippet, but you can read the about Lor and the bullies making her retirement life hell here:
"No matter where you go, even if you pay for the activity, the clique saves all the seats," Lor said. "I have never had a problem like this anywhere else. I have never been bullied at any other time in my life."
Bullying among seniors appears to be a national problem.
When the Akron Beacon Journal hosted a call-in program about bullying for northern Ohio residents, people answering the phones were surprised by the number of seniors who dialed in. One older couple said they were trapped in their home because of harassment from bullying neighbors.
More often, Starns said, older people act like bullies for the same reasons that younger ones do: to respond to someone or something that makes them feel insecure. Dementia also may be one underlying cause of nasty behavior, experts say.