Barbados faces a critical juncture in healthcare delivery as Independent Senator and public health specialist Dr. Kenneth Connell issued a stark warning about systemic failures in serving elderly patients. During a parliamentary debate on the National Policy on Ageing (2023-2028), Connell revealed fundamental flaws in how medical institutions accommodate senior citizens’ complex needs.
The healthcare system’s fragmentation between private and public sectors creates substantial barriers for older patients, particularly regarding information sharing. Senator Connell emphasized the absence of seamless medical record transfer mechanisms, creating operational difficulties for both healthcare providers and vulnerable patients navigating treatment pathways.
A particularly concerning issue raised involves restrictive attitudes toward family participation in medical settings. Connell challenged prevailing norms that limit relatives’ presence in accident and emergency departments, noting that many elderly patients require advocacy and support from familiar faces to effectively navigate healthcare complexities.
Drawing from international training experiences, the senator described alternative care models where hospitals actively incorporate relatives into patient support systems. These facilities provide basic accommodations like couches in wards, enabling family members to remain overnight. This approach demonstrated tangible benefits: relatives assisted with fundamental care tasks like feeding, while medical staff gained valuable allies in patient management.
Connell highlighted the ‘sundowning effect’ as a critical concern—a phenomenon where hospitalized elderly patients experience delirium and disorientation due to environmental changes and reduced sunlight exposure. These symptoms often mimic acute psychiatric episodes, potentially leading to misdiagnosis in already overburdened medical facilities.
The senator warned that single agitated patients can disrupt entire ward operations, particularly in resource-constrained environments common in small island nations. He attributed these challenges to a system requiring fundamental ‘reformatting’ to properly address geriatric care requirements.
Beyond immediate healthcare concerns, Connell urged policymakers to broaden their conceptual framework around aging. He advocated moving beyond chronological age as the primary metric and addressing the multifaceted challenges of unhealthy aging, including rising rates of diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, and dementia.
The specialist concluded that without comprehensive reform, Barbados risks being unprepared for its demographic transition, potentially compromising care quality for its growing elderly population.