Barbados has zero tolerance for anyone performing physical abuse or monetary fraud against its own senior citizenry.

The Cabinet Minister indicated drafting instructions have already been completed and legislative framework is soon to be before his colleagues as the Mottley administration looks at more ways to protect older Barbadians.

Mr Humphrey’s concerns didn’t stop there, the parliamentarian also gave a stern warning to those entrusted with the safekeeping of this strata of Bajan society.

Also attending the capacity filled briefing at Needham’s Point, the BARP official pointed to finance and health planning as contributing factors.

“A 2021 Central Bank study indicated that 66 per cent of the people surveyed did not know how much they needed to save towards their retirement. This is concerning because a person’s quality of life during retirement is tied directly to the amount of money they have been able to accumulate for their golden years,” Rice-Bowen pointed out.

Paul Marshall from Caribbean Home Help suggested some form of an Audit Network of seniors be compiled since there are too many times when elderly are abandoned in their own residences unable to have comfortable or sanitary conditions due to their own infirmity. While full details remain confidential, nevertheless, both the University of the West Indies and the People Empowerment Ministry are in the process of currently fine-tuning a geo-spatial map to cover such contingencies among other permutations.

Attorney Kaye Williams, Sasha Shillingford from the Barbados Banking Association and Dr Lynda Williams from BAMP had a joint panel, which examined Powers of Attorney. Ms Williams explained to the audience that Power of Attorney can dissolve instantly on the death of the grantor or the donee, she said this to indicate while a friend is a nice and expected option for Power of Attorney, if they’re the same age then this poses expected and obvious challenges. It is better to choose someone younger and healthier – especially if they’re to be entrusted for a lengthy period.

The only possible situation preventing potential fraud may be the death of the account holder, but this can create other problems such as when the account of one senior is frozen on death, yet it can pose hardships for the surviving partner who was depending on bill payments from an account now in stasis until either probate of a will or the court’s decision.

On the subject of Wills, the President of the Barbados Association of Medical Practitioners says every Barbadian needs to start creating a will now to avoid confusion on their passage.

Dementia was another topic under the microscope, examined by Dr Ambrose Ramsay, Wasim Worrell and Pamelia Brereton of the Barbados Alzheimer’s Association. Getting ready for the next generation was the focus of Dr Erica Smith of COSCAP, Misha Lobhan-Clarke from BCCI, Lesley Greig and Dr Nicole Simpson.

The COSCAP boss believes Barbadian cultural industries have much to offer for the current generation to gain by royalties in going forward, even from intangibles such as recipes, games or styles of dancing.

Both Ms Greig and Dr Simpson essentially urged participants to not stop learning and keep adding new skills to stay not just physically active but mentally active as well.