OUR ELDERLY deserve to be treated with respect.
Many who are now in their twilight years and should be enjoying the fruits of their labour, are sometimes ill-treated and abused. Sadly, this abuse is sometimes at the hands of those who are closest to them and who should be making sure their elders are living out their lives in comfort.
It is a sad state of affairs when we can read of so many incidents of this type. These are the people who have paid their dues to society, have made significant contributions in their respective areas, and have sweated blood and tears to help build Barbados as we know it today.
We can point to recent examples of abuse claims that were highlighted in this newspaper. One was the eviction of 85-year-old former educator Dorothy King, who found herself without a roof over her head. Fortunately, officials rushed to her rescue and she is now resting comfortably at Vauxhall Senior Citizens Village in Christ Church.
Another was that of pensioner Frank Sobers who is blind, diabetic and hypertensive and suffers from Parkinson’s disease. He says he is on the verge of suicide to escape alleged abuse at the hands of his caretaker.
It is very clear that we have to do better by our seniors in this country.
Chairman of the National Assistance Board, Senator Dr David Durant, has appealed to banks to have some consideration before evicting the elderly. But this issue goes beyond the banks. We all have a responsibility to take care of the senior citizens of this country.
Elder abuse is a real issue, and too often, many pensioners are not being properly taken care of by relatives, who sometimes dump them at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. There have been far too many complaints in the past from hospital officials who said elderly people were continually abandoned there by relatives.
We understand that taking care of seniors can be a costly and demanding exercise, but there are options available to help them. These include day care facilities and nursing homes, as well as home care which allows them to remain in a familiar setting while still having access to basic comforts.
Every effort must be made to ensure that our elderly are safe, free from abuse and comfortable. They deserve nothing less.
