Access to professional residential care for elderly Barbadians has become an unaffordable luxury for most ordinary families in the country, a senior government minister has urged policymakers to extend existing price regulation frameworks to cover private care facilities, bringing these critical services back within reach of average households.
Addressing the House of Assembly during debate on the landmark Older Persons (Care and Protection) Bill, Agriculture Minister Dr. Shantal Munro-Knight expressed public support for the legislation’s existing provisions that expand official oversight of elderly residential care centers. However, she argued that the scope of regulatory reform must go further to address the widespread issue of exorbitantly priced care that locks out low- and middle-income families.
Drawing a parallel to how the Barbadian government already sets and regulates pricing for other regulated professions, Munro-Knight noted that the island’s shifting demographic landscape makes accessible elderly care an increasingly urgent national priority. Even as the public sector works to expand its own elderly care offerings, public facilities often reach full capacity, leaving families with no choice but to turn to private providers. Without price regulation, these vulnerable households are left at the mercy of unregulated private pricing that puts critical care out of reach, she explained.
Beyond pricing reform, Munro-Knight also called for stronger enforcement of minimum quality standards across all residential care facilities, describing firsthand observations of unacceptable conditions during her tours of local centers. She called some facilities’ living arrangements deeply depressing, noting that many are not adapted to meet the specialized needs of elderly or disabled care recipients. Common issues included multi-bed rooms that offer no privacy for residents or visiting family members, stair-only access and narrow corridors that make wheelchair navigation nearly impossible, and dim, uninviting spaces that fail to support residents’ mental and physical wellbeing.
The minister stressed that far too many facilities only provide basic food and medication to residents, with no structured activities or social stimulation to keep older adults mentally engaged and active. This lack of engagement contributes to higher rates of depression and faster cognitive decline among residents, she added. Munro-Knight also highlighted an unaddressed gap in care support for families that choose to keep elderly relatives at home: many of these households require round-the-clock care assistance that they cannot afford, and the government should explore additional support programs to meet this need.