Doctor warns against elder abuse

President of the Jamaica Psychiatric Association, Dr Brian Kazaara, is urging stronger protection for the elderly and encouraging the public to report instances of abuse against older persons.

Kazaara highlighted that older adults are particularly vulnerable and stressed the need for policies to safeguard their well-being.

"I have seen in clinical practice [instances] where family members or other members of the community physically abuse elderly individuals. If older adults are victims of abuse ... we don't necessarily have the channels to report it; and remember, older adults sometimes may not have as much access," he said.

"They may have issues with mobility, they may not be able to go and report these things themselves, and they may be afraid of retribution if they speak out. So, it is important for this group that we have some kind of elderly abuse reporting, because abuse of the elderly is a real thing," he added.

Kazaara called for a structured approach to facilitate effective reporting mechanisms for older adults.

"In Jamaica, we have mandatory reporting for childhood abuse, meaning if you are a healthcare provider, a police officer, a social worker and you have even a suspicion that a child may be abused, it is your legal obligation to report that, and there are channels available to make a report. We don't have an equivalent of that for elderly care. We don't have structured channels," he said.

Noting that elderly Jamaicans are particularly vulnerable to physical, emotional, and financial abuses due to advanced age and diminished mental acuity, he stressed the importance of establishing a protective framework.

"Developing adequate policy and legislation for the elderly will go a long way in improving this, particularly for persons who have dementia," Kazaara said.

"Persons with dementia, in particular, are at increased risk of abuse because they have issues of memory and attention, and often cannot take care of themselves as well as they may have been able to in the past," he added.

Kazaara also called for an increase in trained professionals in geriatric care and the development of dedicated spaces for older adults, such as recreational areas and community centres, where they can be safe and engage in social activities.

"Older adults are a very important part of our society and a large segment of the population. Optimising their health and well-being, and protecting older adults in Jamaica, will lead to a better Jamaica," he said.