Griffith: Elder abuse a big problem in Barbados

Ahead of the commemoration of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Tuesday, retired social worker and Coordinator of the Elder Care Companion Programme, George Griffith says elder abuse here is “big enough” of a problem for Barbadians to be concerned and take action to prevent it.

Speaking on Sunday’s edition of One-on-One, hosted by the Public Affairs Department, he said there were cases of physical, sexual, financial and emotional abuse of the elderly, but they were sometimes difficult to detect.

Although he did not provide statistics on the problem, Griffith expressed concern that instances of family members or caregivers making decisions for elders without consulting them were “fairly prevalent”.

“We know of some situations – and this is not a majority of cases – where a senior, an elderly person is [told] ‘oh, we are going for a drive’ or ‘we are going to visit this place and the next place’ and the next thing you turn up at a nursing home with them, and to me, you couldn’t want a more grievous thing than that,” he said.

Griffith also cited the “very galling” issue of elderly people being deprived of their pensions.

“The senior person will say ‘I cannot get to the post office, I don’t have a bank account to put the money, in any case I can’t get to the bank but I want you to bring the necessary form that I can sign off on this that you will collect my cheque and you bring that cheque to me’….There are instances where an elderly person does not see the money that is generated, and we know that in some instances that the supplies the person should be purchasing…are not bought.

“When that senior person asks questions, they are treated as if they don’t know what they are doing. The first thing the abuser will say is ‘she has dementia’.…That hurts those senior citizens to the core,” he said.

Griffith also spoke out against physical abuse and neglect. He recommended that families invest in surveillance cameras where necessary to monitor caregivers. He also urged families not to lock seniors, who may tend to wander, in houses, warning there could be serious  consequences.

“It is not the appropriate thing to do…. When you lock a person in a house so many things can go wrong. First of all, if the person has any level of awareness that they are locked in a house that is going to cause some agitation.

“Rather than lock them in a house thinking you are providing some safety, speak with neighbours, speak with social agencies, speak with counsellors to see what you can do,” he advised.

Griffith noted that the National Assistance Board and the Royal Barbados Police Force work closely to tackle elder abuse and they are likely to meet this week to “sharpen their relationship”.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2021 is being marked under the theme, Access to Justice.

The United Nations says not only are older persons at high risk of serious illness and mortality, but they continue to face disproportionate cases of age-based discrimination, stigmatization and are subjected to multiple violations of human rights.

It noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on abuse and neglect of older persons, particularly in long-term care institutions and the community.

Griffith has appealed to Barbadians and key groups, including churches and community-based organizations, to pay greater attention to the elderly here.

He is confident that Government’s Elder Care Companion Programme will improve the care of the island’s seniors.

“We have the opportunity to not only bring social stimulation but also to spend time with persons and remind them that age does not mean you are not to exercise your fundamental rights and freedoms. This community elder care programme has taken the care of seniors to another level in Barbados,” Griffith said.

“We have a lot to do in Barbados….As a collective, Barbadians must feel they have a responsibility to care more for the elderly.” (SD)