Population Ageing, the Rights of Older Persons & the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Promoting Independent Living, Social Participation and Eliminating Discrimination against Older Persons

Jennifer A. Rouse (Ph.D.)

Director, Division of Ageing

Ministry of the People & Social Development

The Caribbean Forum on Population, Migration and Development

held in Georgetown, Guyana

July 9-10, 2013

Introduction

T&T’s older persons (i.e., aged 60 yrs and over) represent 13.4% or 177,000 of the total population, of which 9% are over 65 yrs (CSO, 2011)

The elderly population is projected to be 17.7% in 2025 and expected to increase to 30.1% in 2050

Economic indicators reveal that institutional arrangements are untenable to bear this exponential growth rate of seniors

A proactive approach is needed to address the challenge of population ageing

Increasing number of nonagenarians & centenarians

Promoting Independent Living

Continuum of Health & Social Support Services for Older Persons – e.g. Senior Centres & ELDAMO Shuttle

Targeted Conditional Cash Transfer Programme Direct Deposit for pension payments Social Welfare Grants Retirement Planning Seminars Reverse mortgage vs multigenerational households Homecare services – e.g. GAPP Micro Enterprise Grants & Loans Model Assisted Living Facility & Adult Daycare Services

Promoting Social Participation

Annual Public Open Forum for Older Persons Annual Senior Citizens Parliament Commemorating International Day of Older Persons Formulation of National Plan of Action on Ageing Senior Social Events Masters Track & Field Retirees Associations Senior Citizens Bureau Intergenerational conversations & Mentoring programs Partnerships with religious organizations & private sector

Eliminating Discrimination

National Policy on Ageing Legislation on Homes for Older Persons for proclamation Human Rights Seminars Commemorating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day Formulation of Omnibus legislation for the elderly The Constitution accords universal rights to all citizens of

the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago of which the elderly populace are a meaningful part

Advocacy for male caregivers & users of senior centres

Challenges

Other competing social issues on the national agenda such as crime, poverty, narco-trafficking & HIV/AIDS

Recruitment of competent staff due high turnover Insufficient networking between line Ministries & THA Single source of demographic data every 10 years Inordinate delay in the proclamation of legislation on Homes

due to changes in political directorate Retirement of senior public officers compromises institutional

memory due lack of succession planning Increased demand in homecare services vs dearth of caregivers

trained in geriatric care

Recommendations

Promote intergenerational volunteerism Promote positive image of ageing to counter ageism Include gerontology & geriatric care as degree programs

offered in the region Promote strengthening of family care through media prgs Coordinated approach to treat with elder abuse cases Include “young old” among trained caregivers Establishment of Policy Implementation Unit (combine the

resources of research/project mgmt/M&E) in DOA Branding of the Division of Ageing

Conclusion

Research and M&E must be the drivers of programmes NPAA to mainstream ageing across national policies Advocacy with interest groups to ensure buy-in Older persons must be acknowledged as a resource

instead of a burden on state resources Intergenerational approaches must be culture-sensitive to

capture plurality of T&T Omnibus legislation required to protect the elderly who

reside in communities