Elder Affairs Minister: Too many Elderly Neglected by Family

Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs says there are still too many elderly people being abandoned at health care institutions across the island.

Kirk Humphrey was speaking at a panel discussion on ‘Elderly Abandonment,’ hosted by the Barbados Association of Retired Persons Incorporated (BARP). He stated that between the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and the Harrison’s Point Isolation facility, there are close to thirty people who are considered to be neglected by family members.

Mr. Humphrey said the majority of these patients are men. “I had a very interesting conversation with the Minister of Health because I keep hearing about the number of persons in the hospital and so on. As it stands today, there were 16 persons at QEH who would be considered abandoned; nine are at Harrison Point who will be considered abandoned, the average for the QEH would be 30, that people anticipate on any average of 30 but right now, there are 16, which means that they’re actually less person. So I don’t know that it’s fair to say that there’s been an increase. The point is that there are people who are abandoned and that is a problem and the vast majority of those are males. You know, when you have itinerant fathers; visiting fathers who come and go, who don’t check for their children and then expect children to love them automatically it’s a very difficult proposition for many children, for many people, so I understand all of that. Abandonment no matter how I spin it.”

(audio included)

While not going into details, Mr. Humphrey said that stiff penalties for abandonment will be coming.

“Most recently in the ministry under the guidance of former minister Forde, there was work with PAHO to develop a policy, and a policy is being done now. There was a situation analysis done, that gave us a general overview, very detailed, actually information on the status of elderly in Barbados. The drafting of the legislation will be done at the same time that we’re doing the policy I said at the last meeting that we’re hoping to have that draft by the end of the year, if not the calendar year, by the financial year; and to be able to implement policy to protect our elders. Former minister Forde Minister is advising now and leading on it, but I’ve been very clear that when you see the penalties that we’re discussing and will propose in relation to how people should be penalized, for such treatment, you will know that we are not kidding.”