The National policy on Ageing aims to protect and support the aged, and the collective national intent is to ensure the highest quality of life and related experiences of this uniquely vulnerable group in Barbados. Each core value and accompanying principle can be regarded as a stated promise expressly connected to a whole-of country approach and response to the diverse needs of and dire challenges faced by older people across the various households, communities, institutions and related spaces of care, and other
domains of life in Barbados.
The National Policy on Ageing does not simply treat older people as passive recipients of essential programmes, services and other forms of nationally guided assistance but considers them as key partners and active participants of change who are responsible for their own lives and destinies. Across all priority areas, objectives and strategies captured in this Policy, older people have been placed centrally as primary strategic stakeholders whose contributions towards and participation in the national development process will not go unnoticed or unutilised.
CORE POLICY VALUES AND PRINCIPLES
DIGINITY: ALL OLDERS PERSONS DESERVE TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT, EMPATHY, AND ACCEPTANCE.
PARTICIPATION: ALL OLDER PERSONS ARE ENTITLED TO PARTICIPATE ACTIVELY IN ALL AFFAIRS OF SOCIETY AND IN THE
BUILDING OF POLICIES, PROGRAMMES AND ACTIVITIES THAT DIRECTLY AFFECT THEIR WELL-BEING.
EQUITY AND INCLUSIVENESS: ALL OLDER PEOPLE, REGARDLESS OF BACKGROUND, ARE ENTITLED TO FAIR PROCESS AND JUST
OUTCOMES.
ACCESSIBILITY: ALL OLDER PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO ACCESS RELEVANT SERVICES, RESOURCES, AND ENVIRONMENTS ACCORDING
TO THEIR NEEDS.
CARE: ALL OLDER PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO BENEFIT FROM KEY FORMS OF CARE (FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND INSTITUTIONAL),
PROTECTION, REHABILITATION, SOCIAL AND MENTAL STIMULATION IN A HUMANE AND SECURE ENVIRONMENT.
SELF-FULFILMENT: ALL OLDER PEOPLE HAVE A RIGHT TO PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMPLETE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR
POTENTIAL.
FREEDOM FROM HARM: ALL OLDER PEOPLE ARE ENTITLED TO LIVE IN SAFETY AND SECURITY AND BE FREE FROM ALL FORMS OF
ABUSE, EXPLOITATION AND DISCRIMINATION.
Key Priority Areas for Action
Core priority areas of investigation included (but were not limited to the following):
o Financial and Economic Security
o Social Security
o Health and Health Systems
o Physical and Built Environment
o Social Environment
o Legislation
o Long-Term Care
o Pandemics, Disasters, and Emergencies
To ENABLE and PROMOTE Healthy and Active Ageing as A Way of
Life For all Barbadians and Ensure that the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms of Older People are Fully Recognised, Vigorously Defended and Strongly Preserved.
