"THE NUMBER in the golden-age home has fallen because we are unable to locate funds. The cost of institutional care has increased dramatically," says Dr. Denise Eldemire-Shearer, chairperson for the National Council for Senior Citizens.
Dr. Eldemire-Shearer told The Sunday Gleaner that a few years ago, the Kingston and St. Andrew Golden Age Home located in Vineyard Town, was forced to close one of its clusters, which houses 68 senior citizens. "People died and we did not take in anymore; as people passed we reduced the intake," she explained. The cluster is yet to be reopened.
A 1999 audit conducted by the Programme Coordinating and Monitoring Unit of the Office of the Prime Minister showed there were 1,553 residents in homes across the island; 851 were men. Official records now show that at the end of March 2005, there were 1433 residents 798 males and 635 females in the homes across the island.
Lt. Cl. Desmond Clarke who runs the Golden- Age Home, said the facility is running below maximum capacity because of financial constraints.
He revealed that the home, which has a maximum capacity of 500 residents, is currently housing only 350 seniors. Lt. Cl. Clarke could not definitively comment on whether needy people were being turned away owing to financial difficulties, as he explained that admittance to the home is done through the Poor Relief Department.
NEEDY NOT BEING REJECTED
When contacted, a representative of the Poor Relief Department insisted that needy persons are not being rejected.
"We don't turn away people; people die every day and when they die, other people take their places," the representative stated.
However, when quizzed on whether the lack of space at the Corporate Area home has forced the department to put people on hold, the official suddenly went mum and refused to respond further.
