Focus being placed on the elderly, says Senator Durant

More emphasis is being placed on care of the elderly in Barbados. Government, in doing so will be changing the name of the National Assistance Board (NAB).

“Legislation is being prepared and it should be soon ready to change the name of the National Assistance Board to the “Commission of Elder Affairs,” revealed Chairman of NAB, Senator Rev. Dr. David Durant

For over 30 years, the NAB under the Ministry of Social Care has endeavoured “to maintain the dignity of elderly persons in Barbados,through the provision of an innovative range of social support and recreational services.”

Delivering the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) lunchtime lecture, he highlighted that services under the NAB include: The Vulnerable Persons Committee; Community Nursing Programme; Helping Hands Volunteer Project; the Home Care Programme; Vauxhall Senior Citizens Village; Clyde Gollop Night Shelter for Homeless Men; Seniors Recreational Activities Programme; and Lancaster House.

“Government, in recognising that an increase in physical and mental activity by elderly persons can contribute significantly to the improved well-being of the nation, and possibly delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease and other kinds of dementia, [therefore] result in the reduction of expenditure on chronic non-communicable diseases – have agreed to continue strengthening the support for the elderly in our nation and of course not leaving out children and differently-abled”.
Senator Durant also told the gathering at DLP’s George street Headquarters that Government must be applauded for its continued commitment to such services, in spite of the current economic situation.

“They never pulled the plug on maintaining that safety net where especially those vulnerable groups in our society are concerned – children, the elderly and the differently-abled...”

“The Government maintained that safety net where provision is made for those individuals. So, the Child Care Board continues to run very strongly; the National Assistance Board with the care for the elderly continues to run strongly, as well
as the Disability Unit – they are all supported despite these difficult times,” he pointed out.

“Normally, in nations the first plug that is pulled is the social services, but thank God, we haven’t gone that route”. (TL)