Psychiatrist Calls for More Protection of the Elderly

President of the Jamaica Psychiatric Association, Dr. Brian Kazaara, is calling for more protection of the elderly and for persons to report abuse of older persons.

Dr. Kazaara told JIS News in a recent interview that older adults are particularly vulnerable to abuse and emphasised 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.

Dr. Kazaara said a structured approach should be put in place to facilitate effective reporting mechanisms for this group.

“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 abuses (physical, emotional and financial), due to their advanced age and diminished mental acuity, he said it is important that a framework be put in place to protect them.

“Developing adequate policy and legislation for the elderly will go a long way in improving this, particularly for persons who have dementia,” Dr. 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.

Dr. Kazaara also called for increased trained professionals in geriatric care, as well as the development of dedicated spaces for older adults, such as recreational areas and community centres where older persons 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.