Visiting committee to be set up to ensure compliance with standards at homes for elderly

With a focus on the welfare of Guyana’s elderly population, the Ministry of Social Protection is the process of establishing a committee aimed at ensuring elderly residential facilities are in compliance with the minimum standards set for operation of such facilities.

Dubbed the “visiting committee,” the group will consist of a nutritionist, gerontologist, an engineer managerial staff from the ministry and a member of the Commission of the Elderly; this team will ensure compliance with the minimum standards.

Essentially, the visiting committee will be tasked with conducting a holistic review of the activities of the elderly residential facilities and provide critical and relevant feedback on compliance and challenges as it relates to the implementation of the standard.

This is according to Deputy Director off Social Services at the Ministry of Social Protection, Abike Samuels, who made the disclosure last Thursday during a stakeholders meeting on elderly care in Guyana.

“One of the many mandates of the Ministry of Social Protection is to provide social welfare service to Guyanese and the welfare of the elderly is no exception. The elderly in one way or another have made their contributions to Guyana’s economic, social and cultural development. Whether the toiled were indoors or outdoors, invisible or visible, the elderly have made their contributions and it is fitting that the Ministry of Social Protection play their part in caring for these people,” she said.

It is against this backdrop that a decision to establish the visiting committee was made.

“Over the years, elderly residential facilities have been operating unregulated in the absence of guidance which have been provided through the development of the minimum standards. In many instances, this has resulted in our seniors being housed in derelict structures, subjected to abuse by caregivers, fed meals that cater to their dietary or nutritional needs and deprived of or denied access to medical care,” she explained.

Alluding to the 2016 introduction of the minimum standards for elderly care facilities, Samuels said the standards were developed based on international best practices and in accordance with conventions and treaties to which Guyana is a signatory; they were developed to guide and assist all residential facilities with a framework and benchmarks to improve the quality of care provided to senior citizens.

Among the guidelines is ensuring all elderly homes promote the health of residents in care; source, store and administer medicines in accordance with the best practices and local laws and regulations; strive to continuously provide a high standard of care to residents; are staffed as necessary to provide quality care to residents, infrastructure and design are maintained to cater to the special needs of the elderly; and have established procedures to prepare for and respond to emergencies so as to protect the health, life and liberty of their staff and residents.

“We are aware that many of the existing facilities nationwide do not have the financial or technical resources that require to effect the changes necessary to meet the standards, but this only gives greater impetus and efforts to solve these issues,” Samuels said.

“These are just initial steps from the Ministry of Social Protection to commence the process of revolutionizing the care of the Elderly throughout Guyana,” she added.