Human rights activist, Dr. Lloyd Barnett, wants the Government to provide stricter measures to monitor the country's elderly population in families and nursing homes.

"We have some concerns (about elder abuse). If we are to look at say, the inspections and the setting of standards for nursing homes, they are non-existent," said the immediate past chairman of the Independent Jamaica Council for Human Rights (IJCHR). 

"We can also consider the number of old persons who have died in fire, some because they have no one to care for them," he said. 

The Ministries of Local Government and Health are charged with monitoring care for the island's rapidly expanding elderly population. Except for incidents of sexual violence and deaths caused by fires, there have been no widespread reports of elder abuse cases. It is thus no surprise that World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which was commemorated on June 15, came and went without much fanfare. 

Classified as an act or lack of appropriate action, which causes harm or distress to an older person, elder abuse includes physical, psychological, financial, sexual, neglect and family abuse. 

Mrs. Molly McGann, Registrar of Health Institutions and Facilities at the Ministry of Health (MOH) explained that there are about 120 nursing homes listed under its purview. 

"Our Investigations and Enforcement Unit do investigations when we get reports of abuse. Often it is something other than the original complaint. 
"Our investigations have to be very thorough. In the past year we have had two complaints and they both have been investigated. There was one with some evidence there. There is now a third that is being investigated ... under-reporting is a possibility." 

A NEW PHENOMENON 

Professor Denise Eldemire-Shearer, Chairman of the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) says the reality of elderly abuse is a new phenomenon to Jamaica. 

"I suspect that you will find that the cases of abuse are mainly in the financial area of young people mismanaging money, and taking advantage of the emotions of the older person. I think that Jamaicans care about the elderly and cases of abuse are generally isolated," she said. 

Other authorities on senior citizens care have indicated that often times abuse goes unreported, as the perpetrators are relatives. 

Recently released police statistics indicate that for 2004, the 55 and over age group registered 22 cases of rape compared to 16 for last year. For murders, 105 males and 18 females were murdered in the same demographic. In 2005, 81 males and 16 females were killed. 

While reports of rape and other violent acts against the age group appear to be going down, the issue of whether or not such crimes are under-reported remains a cause for concern.