The Dominica Council on Aging (DCOA) Inc will be hosting the 3rd Caribbean Conference on Ageing, Elder Abuse and Rights of Older Persons from November 30 to December 1.
It will focus focus on the current situation of elderly persons in the Caribbean, their rights as well as implementing policies for those older persons.
President of the DOCA, Zetma Toussaint said at a press conference on Tuesday that originally the conference was focusing only on elder abuse but with the inclusion of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), the topic was broadened to include, “aging issues, abuse as well as the rights of the elderly.”
According to her the DOCA over the years have recognized the need to educate the public about issues facing the elderly in Dominica, “as well as raising the level of consciousness of the older persons themselves.”
“Thus over the past eight years small groups of older persons have been able to meet with the Prime Minister and the members of cabinet to discuss issues affecting them such as, healthcare services, abuse, lack of proper housing facilities, noise and its effects on older persons, provision of care, proper care and attention at group homes among others,” Toussaint stated.
Member of the DCOA and coordinator of the conference, Sherita Gregoire, said the conference will work on developing a safety network to explore the possibility of a regional bureau, to obtain commitments from governments to work towards strengthening and ensuring the implementation of laws against the abuse of older persons.
“We will also look at developing a regional network for prevention of abuse among our seniors and developing a safety network to explore the possibility of a regional bureau, focusing on older persons in light of the rapid growth of that sector to obtain commitments from government to work towards strengthening and ensuring the implementation of laws against the abuse of older persons,” she stated.
The conference will be hosted in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Services, Family and Gender Affairs and are joined by two other partners Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the AMDOR an Association located in Martinique.
The theme for the conference is “Building the Framework of Regional Response to Issues affecting older Persons.”
In Canada, Dominica, and everywhere we are ALL getting older.
When I was younger I did not think of such things. Now I am in my 70s I cannot read an article like this without thanking God for people like Zetma Toussaint and Sheita Gregoire, and organizations such as Dominica Council on Aging.
Somebody said any culture can be measured by the care it shows its seniors. In a world where a husband and wife often both have jobs, and are struggling to raise or educate their kids, they may lack the time to give their aging parents the support they need.
The elders have made their contribution and earned their rest. Any help the younger generation can give them is no more than they deserve. Especially children should feel this way about their parents.
By making life better for people in their old age we are setting an example. Hopefully our own children will learn and treat us the same way when our time comes.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist
What about economic issues facing the elderly?