Population Ageing, the Rights of Older Persons & the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

1. Population Ageing, the Rights of Older Persons & the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Promoting Independent Living, Social Participation and Eliminating Discrimination against Older Persons Jennifer A. Rouse (Ph.D.) Director, Division of Ageing Ministry of the People & Social Development The Caribbean Forum on Population, Migration and Development held in Georgetown, Guyana July 9-10, 2013

2. Introduction • T&T’s older persons (i.e., aged 60 yrs and over) represent 13.4% or 177,000 of the total population, of which 9% are over 65 yrs (CSO, 2011) • The elderly population is projected to be 17.7% in 2025 and expected to increase to 30.1% in 2050 • Economic indicators reveal that institutional arrangements are untenable to bear this exponential growth rate of seniors • A proactive approach is needed to address the challenge of population ageing • Increasing number of nonagenarians & centenarians

3. Promoting Independent Living • Continuum of Health & Social Support Services for Older Persons – e.g. Senior Centres & ELDAMO Shuttle • Targeted Conditional Cash Transfer Programme • Direct Deposit for pension payments • Social Welfare Grants • Retirement Planning Seminars • Reverse mortgage vs multigenerational households • Homecare services – e.g. GAPP • Micro Enterprise Grants & Loans • Model Assisted Living Facility & Adult Daycare Services

4. Promoting Social Participation • Annual Public Open Forum for Older Persons • Annual Senior Citizens Parliament • Commemorating International Day of Older Persons • Formulation of National Plan of Action on Ageing • Senior Social Events • Masters Track & Field • Retirees Associations • Senior Citizens Bureau • Intergenerational conversations & Mentoring programs • Partnerships with religious organizations & private sector

5. Eliminating Discrimination • National Policy on Ageing • Legislation on Homes for Older Persons for proclamation • Human Rights Seminars • Commemorating World Elder Abuse Awareness Day • Formulation of Omnibus legislation for the elderly • The Constitution accords universal rights to all citizens of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago of which the elderly populace are a meaningful part • Advocacy for male caregivers & users of senior centres

6. Challenges • Other competing social issues on the national agenda such as crime, poverty, narco-trafficking & HIV/AIDS • Recruitment of competent staff due high turnover • Insufficient networking between line Ministries & THA • Single source of demographic data every 10 years • Inordinate delay in the proclamation of legislation on Homes due to changes in political directorate • Retirement of senior public officers compromises institutional memory due lack of succession planning • Increased demand in homecare services vs dearth of caregivers trained in geriatric care

7. Recommendations • Promote intergenerational volunteerism • Promote positive image of ageing to counter ageism • Include gerontology & geriatric care as degree programs offered in the region • Promote strengthening of family care through media prgs • Coordinated approach to treat with elder abuse cases • Include “young old” among trained caregivers • Establishment of Policy Implementation Unit (combine the resources of research/project mgmt/M&E) in DOA • Branding of the Division of Ageing

8. Conclusion • Research and M&E must be the drivers of programmes • NPAA to mainstream ageing across national policies • Advocacy with interest groups to ensure buy-in • Older persons must be acknowledged as a resource instead of a burden on state resources • Intergenerational approaches must be culture-sensitive to capture plurality of T&T • Omnibus legislation required to protect the elderly who reside in communities