Column: Smith On Elders, Abuse & More
[Opinion column written by MP Linda Smith]
As the island celebrated National Heroes Day, I was reminded that June 15th was also World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Perhaps this is fitting, given that may of our everyday heroes are seniors who have given their best to make Bermuda a better place for us all.
No one would argue that our seniors deserve a safe and happy environment where they are protected from abuse in any form. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Often, much depends on the moral compass of family members and individuals who are closest to them.
Recently I read an article warning of power-of-attorney abuse, by local financial advisor, Carla Seely.
I also received the Age Concern newsletter, and in conjunction with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, I learned that the organisation is launching a new advocacy campaign, Guardians for Justice: Protecting our Seniors.
The newsletter quotes data from the Department of Aging and Disability Services. According to the report, 161 senior abuse cases were reported in the past year. Of them: 35% were physical, 28% involved financial exploitation, 23% were psychological, 11% involved neglect, and 3% of the abuse cases were sexual.
The island needs an office of the public guardian for seniors and the disabled, or some similar service. This is not a new idea. In fact, in April 2022 a former PLP MP was appointed to lead a $60,000 one-year project to produce a paper on how such an office, or service, would be established and operated. Unfortunately, there has not been much progress since.
It has been estimated that by 2026, 25% of our population would be over the age of 65, and we are almost there. Given the fact that many people are living longer, we are also seeing a change in lifestyles where children of seniors are now becoming seniors themselves, which can sometimes compound or create additional difficulties.
These demographic changes were forecast. What was not foreseen was the large exodus of people from our shores who are no longer a part of the equation providing resources, financial and physical to care for our ageing population, which puts more pressure on everyone.
Last year the Bermuda Government published the National Seniors Strategy 2024, outlining key actions it intends to take over six years. Although, I did not see where it specifically mentioned establishing an office of the public guardian, it does say actions will be taken to enhance adult protection services and legislation, so they are appropriately resourced and structed to meet the protection needs of an ageing population.
Under the heading Empowering Citizens, the National Seniors Strategy lists actions that need to be taken these include, 鈥淒evelop and implement immigration policies to increase the number of persons working in our economy.鈥
We need more than workers. We need citizens to sustain our population.
I would like to see the Government commit to producing a collaborative, well-researched, comprehensive immigration and population study, leading to the development of a strategy and plan Bermudians can get behind.
The goal would be to develop a multi-generational, sustainable Bermuda, where citizens want to remain, and/or return and build their futures here with others they know share their aspirations, loyalty and commitment to our island home. There is nothing easy about this task, but for the good of us all, it must be done. As, disparate box-ticking solutions provide nothing more than an illusion of progress.
– Linda Smith is the MP for C31, Southampton West Central. She is also the Shadow Minister Youth, Social Development & Seniors
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