The law will protect older people in Barbados once legislation for the elderly is completed this year.
Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs Kirk Humphrey told Loop News that the draft legislation is in its final stages.
“There is no specific elderly legislation. The most comprehensive legislation for seniors is now being finalised. I hope to have that in Parliament this year,” Humphrey remarked on Monday, March 25, on the sidelines of a panel discussion hosted by the Japan Embassy and the Barbados Museum Historical Society.
Humphrey detailed that the legislation will address elder abuse and the rights of caregivers. He highlighted reported financial and physical abuse cases quite often centred around family disputes.
“One of the biggest challenges that we have is that you might have a mother or father who is being cared for by a son, and then the other family members are saying that son is abusing the older persons, but when we investigate, it is always not that clear, and I think we need to have legislation that makes it very, very clear about what the authorities can do to be able to come in and offer clear decisionmaking…because most of the challenges that we are seeing from older persons is actually family disputes,” Humphrey pinpointed.
The Minister of Elder Affairs expressed that the Government sought to change stereotypes associated with older people as persons who are “passive recipients of goods and services, that have no talents [and] that are washed up”.
He shared that his Ministry sought to move towards a “silver economy” in which senior citizens are productive contributors to society.
“The concept of the silver economy and silver centres is that older people can produce, make things, and offer services.” Humphrey detailed that the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs will launch a Trusted Seniors programme, where older persons can offer their skills and services to the public.
“We in the Ministry are going to be rolling out a programme of Trusted Seniors…You can have these persons keep your children and keep your house. If someone has to be tutored, then these older persons with experience and qualifications can come in and fill that,” he revealed.
The Government has also committed to investing BBD $7 million in the country’s senior citizens. Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced that the Government will develop two respite and daycare facilities to further support the elderly.
