By Tynia Brown

Journal Staff Writer 

Members of Parliament on Wednesday passed the Older Persons Rights, Protection, Care and Support Bill 2026 to ensure that senior citizens get the care that they deserve.

Minister of Health and Wellness Dr. Michael Darville said the legislation is intended to move The Bahamas toward a more comprehensive system of care and protection for older persons, particularly those facing abuse, neglect, financial exploitation and inadequate access to care.

Darville said too many senior citizens remain in hospital beds, not because they require continued medical treatment, but because their families may have no suitable alternative for their care.

He said the situation has placed additional strain on the public healthcare system and highlighted the need for stronger community-based and home-care services.

Darville said the bill followed extensive public consultation, including more than 800 visits to the Bahamas Laws Online website, along with submissions from legal professionals, faith-based groups, advocates and families.

He said the legislation would establish protection officers, improve oversight of residential care facilities and create mechanisms for investigating physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse.

The bill would also seek to expand community nursing, caregiver training and home-based services, while improving coordination for elderly residents traveling from the Family Islands to New Providence for medical appointments.

Darville said the proposed law would recognize older persons as rights holders, preserving their ability to make decisions concerning their finances, healthcare and place of residence.

Minister of State for Social Services Bacchus Rolle, highlighted several cases of elder abuse and neglect which he said demonstrated the need for the legislation.

Rolle told Parliament that some elderly Bahamians have been abandoned, exploited financially or left without adequate care.

He highlighted the case of an 85-year-old former public servant who, he said, became ill while visiting a granddaughter abroad and was allegedly left at a hospital after being discharged.

According to Rolle, Bahamian authorities eventually helped return the woman home, where she remains in state care.

He also detailed the case of a 92-year-old retired nurse who allowed a woman into her home after the woman said she needed somewhere to stay for a few days.

Rolle said the arrangement reportedly continued for about 10 months and the elderly woman’s debit card was later used to purchase approximately $20,000 worth of goods and services.

He said concerned neighbors eventually contacted Social Services, leading to a welfare check and police involvement.

Rolle said the cases demonstrate that elder abuse does not always involve physical violence, but may also include abandonment, misuse of pensions and bank cards, financial manipulation and exploitation of elderly persons experiencing cognitive decline.

Both ministers said the legislation aims to strengthen the legal and social support framework for senior citizens while providing greater assistance to families and caregivers responsible for their care.