Barbados faces a critical juncture in healthcare delivery for its elderly citizens, according to Independent Senator and public health specialist Dr. Kenneth Connell. During Wednesday’s parliamentary debate on the 2023–2028 National Policy on Ageing, Connell issued a stark warning about systemic failures in accommodating the complex needs of older patients. The senator identified a fundamental disconnect between private and public healthcare sectors as a primary concern, creating what he described as an ‘extremely challenging’ navigation environment for senior citizens. This fragmentation manifests most visibly in the critical absence of seamless information exchange and medical record sharing between institutions, creating substantial obstacles for both patients and medical professionals. Connell further criticized restrictive hospital policies that limit family participation in care, particularly in emergency departments where he noted relatives are often perceived as occupying space intended solely for patients. Drawing from his international medical training, the senator contrasted local practices with more inclusive models where relatives receive accommodation to remain overnight with patients. This approach, he argued, provides dual benefits: family members assist with basic care tasks like feeding while helping mitigate the ‘sundowning effect’—a phenomenon where elderly patients experience delirium and disorientation in unfamiliar hospital environments. Connell warned that without systematic reform, Barbados’ healthcare infrastructure remains dangerously unprepared for the mounting pressures of arthritis, dementia, and cognitive decline within its aging demographic. The senator ultimately called for a paradigm shift in policy perspectives, urging lawmakers to look beyond chronological age as the sole metric when designing elderly care frameworks for small island developing states.