Plans underway to expand elder care across Barbados

Plans are in motion to expand Barbados’ Care of the Older Adult in the Community Programme, as the island braces for the demands of an ageing population.

Special Adviser on Elder Affairs Cynthia Forde revealed that the government intends to roll out the initiative nationwide, alongside the construction of a model residential and respite care facility, as part of efforts to strengthen community-based elder care.

Forde, a former Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, made the announcement on Saturday evening at the graduation ceremony for the programme, held at the Warrens Office Complex, St Michael.

The 14-week course, delivered at Lester Vaughan Secondary School, was developed through a partnership between the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs and the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology (SJPI).

Twenty-four participants from rural communities completed the intensive training, which included hands-on modules on nutrition, managing wandering and isolation, and effective communication.

Forde, speaking on behalf of Minister Kirk Humphrey, underscored the urgency of strengthening elder care, noting that life expectancy in Barbados now exceeds 78 years.

“This course comes at a pivotal moment in our nation’s history,” she said, adding that the initiative reflected “our government’s unwavering commitment to elder care, community-based support, and the empowerment of older adults.”

Calling the partnership with SJPI “a transformative programme”, she urged other institutions to join the effort. “Let us build a network of training and excellence that spans every parish, every community, and every corner of Barbados.”

She confirmed that construction of the Sterling Residential and Respite Care Facility in St Philip will begin later this year, describing it as “a model of excellence, offering both residential and community-based services”.

The government, she added, is committed to expanding the training to other parishes while “exploring new partnerships, new technologies, and new models of care that reflect the diverse needs of our ageing population.”

SJPI representative Maxine Thomas praised the graduates for their dedication, pointing out that while their contributions might not always be visible, they are deeply meaningful.

She told them they would help older adults “feel safe in their home, respected in their aging, and valued in their community as their steward of compassion”.

Thomas also reminded the audience that Barbados’ elders are “the storytellers of our community – quiet heroes who raised families, built neighbourhoods, endured hardships, and paved the road that we now all walk on.”

Valedictorian Peggy Boyce-Rowe (left) was all smiles.

Valedictorian Peggy Boyce Moore echoed that sense of commitment, assuring the audience, “We take our responsibilities very seriously and undertake our duties with love, compassion, respect and empathy.”

The evening concluded on a celebratory note, with entertainment from Vox Novum, Breanna Husbands, and the graduates themselves, who closed the ceremony with a heartfelt rendition of Lean on Me. (STT)