By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

SOCIAL Services Minister Myles Laroda has sounded the alarm on the growing crisis of elder abuse and neglect in The Bahamas, calling for immediate national action to protect the country’s senior citizens from mistreatment, abandonment, and housing insecurity.

Between 2023 and 2025, the Department of Social Services’ Senior Citizens Division received 123 requests for government rental units, 163 requests for group home placement, and 74 requests for geriatric hospital placement. In the same period, there were 33 reports of neglect, two reports of financial abuse, nine reports of physical abuse, six reports of verbal abuse, one report of sexual abuse, and one case of self-neglect.

“Behind every one of these numbers is a life, a mother, a father, a grandparent, a neighbour, someone who deserved to live with dignity and respect,” Mr Laroda said at a press conference marking the start of Older Persons Month, observed every October. “What is most alarming is that so many of these requests and reports come from older persons who had nowhere to live, or who are living in substandard conditions.”

“In some cases, families genuinely could not provide the level of care their loved ones need. But in other cases, families simply step aside, no doubt with the belief that it was the government’s responsibility to take over.”

The Minister warned that the reported cases likely represent only a portion of the problem.

“They shine a light on what has been reported, and that in itself, is enough to stir us to action, to advocate for the care and protection of older persons,” he said. “We must go beyond words. It means creating safe spaces, ensuring access to decent housing, fighting against abuse in every form, and building a culture where no senior feels abandoned or discarded.”

Mr Laroda urged the public to remain vigilant for signs of elder abuse, including visible injuries, poor hygiene, lack of adequate food or clothing, sudden weight loss, untreated medical issues, withdrawn behaviour, or suspicious financial activity. He stressed the importance of regular contact with older relatives and neighbours, encouraging open communication and reporting any suspected abuse to the police or Social Services, including via the 24-hour hotline at 422-2763 or 711.

According to officials, seniors are defined as people aged 60 and older. Once abuse is reported, the Department of Social Services works with the Royal Bahamas Police Force to investigate.

The department provides various support services for older people, including financial assistance, food aid, fire relief, and burial assistance, across both New Providence and the Family Islands. A series of public education and awareness events for seniors is scheduled throughout October.

Reflecting on his own upbringing, Mr Laroda recalled being raised by grandparents and a great-grandmother born between 1884 and 1910, describing the values of community, sharing, and mutual respect that shaped earlier generations. He said those values must be preserved and practised by younger Bahamians today.

“I am sure each of us can think of a grandmother, grandfather, or even a senior in our family who has shaped us in one way or another,” he said. “These are the people we must cherish, and it’s not just because of the special role they once played in our lives, but because of who they are and what they should still mean to us today.”

Mr Laroda quoted United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said: “We must respond with foresight and action. That means ensuring that the rights of older persons are fully respected, their dignity upheld, and their contributions recognised. All communities and ages benefit from the wisdom of older persons. They have much to teach about navigating uncertainty, resolving conflict and building solidarity across generations.”