SHAME!
Barbadians who are guilty of turning their backs and abandoning the elderly should feel nothing but total embarrassment. They must be hanging their heads in total shame to know that this is how those who have toiled for years to help build up this country are treated by their loved ones.
It is on the backs of the elderly that many have been able to achieve a better lot in life.
With a heavy heart we read of our elderly being abused and neglected to the point where some are living in filthy conditions, left unattended.
Some are kept in soiled diapers, some forced to find rest on hard, rotting floors in rat-infested areas, while others are simply ignored by family members who should be taking better care of them.
In a country with an ageing population, this is nothing less than disgraceful and despicable. How can a society that should be showing more love and respect for its elderly, be so callous and uncaring?
The figures shared by the chairman of the National Assistance Board (NAB), Senator Reverend Dr David Durant, were startling and should have been hard to process for any right-thinking citizen. He said there were 29 cases of neglect logged so far for the year, while more than 40 were yet to be investigated.
How can the children of these abandoned elderly folk continue to ignore their wants, despicable needs and general welfare as they have grown old? We cry shame on them and this behaviour.
We endorse the biblical citation of the goodly reverend who reminded: “Honour your mother and your father so that your days may be long”. It is a quote worth repeating time and time again.
It would be worth our while to remember that growing old is a privilege in this life, one which many may not enjoy. Therefore, we need to treat our elderly with respect. We need to show them love as they transition to a stage where they need to be cared for, and sadly, cannot fend for themselves as they once did.
While some may not have the means to provide adequately for ageing parents or relatives, every effort must still be made to ensure that they are well looked after, fed and provided with adequate shelter.
We believe that no effort must be spared to protect our elderly from abuse and abandonment and therefore, we say to officials, talk less and do more to make sure that those who ill-treat this treasured group are called to account. We must do all to ensure that our elderly are allowed to live out the rest of their years in comfort.