BARP: Confront ‘silent crisis’ of elder abuse

A growing and largely hidden pattern of elder abuse in Barbados, including the calculated targeting of isolated seniors for financial gain, has prompted an urgent national call to action from the Barbados Association of Retired Persons (BARP) ahead of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Monday.

While recent legislative strides have been made, BARP said laws alone are insufficient without robust enforcement and sustained community vigilance.

“Barbados has taken a significant step with the passage of new legislation in Parliament to protect our elders. But legislation alone does not save lives, commitment does,” said Marilyn Rice-Bowen, president of BARP. “The muscle, the manpower and the energy must now be placed firmly behind this law.”

According to BARP, elder abuse is not an isolated or rare occurrence, but a pervasive issue manifesting as physical violence, sexual abuse, emotional torment, neglect, abandonment and financial exploitation.

Of particular concern to the association is a predatory trend targeting the island’s most vulnerable and isolated seniors.

“We are gravely concerned by a troubling pattern: individuals who befriend isolated and lonely elders, not out of love or compassion, but with the calculated intent to seize their assets in life and plunder their estates in death,” the association noted.

Rice-Bowen issued a stern warning regarding the normalisation of such behaviour: “This is not an anecdote. This is abuse. And we will no longer allow it to be swept aside or laughed off.”

BARP gave an assurance to the nation’s seniors that they are seen, valued and deserving of protection, while impressing on the public a clear collective responsibility: “If you see it, say it.”

What to Know – BARP’s call

To effectively combat elder abuse, BARP is calling for a coordinated, multi-sectoral response across Barbadian society:

– Law enforcement: The Barbados Police Service must specifically train officers to respond to and investigate elder abuse cases as a priority.

– Financial and legal sectors: Attorneys and financial services professionals must exercise strict vigilance and integrity to prevent the fraudulent seizure of seniors’ property, savings and estates.

– Healthcare professionals: Medical practitioners must leverage their frontline positions to identify warning signs, document concerns and report suspected abuse or neglect.

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