– Advertisement –
St. Lucia
– The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for Saint Lucia’s older population through a strategic consultation on the draft National Policy for Older Persons.
Hosted at the Ministries conference room, the gathering brought together key stakeholders from various elderly homes and sectors to review and refine the draft policy, ensuring it reflects the needs and aspirations of the island’s elderly community.
Speaking at the consultation, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Wellness, and Elderly Affairs Jenny Daniel, emphasized the importance of community engagement in shaping a robust and actionable policy.
“We are here today to look at the draft policy, which has been prepared. You come from various perspectives as it pertains to older persons, and we wish to draw on your experiences, knowledge, and creativity to guide how we address the needs of this sector,d. Your input, suggestions, and recommendations will help us finalize a document that we can work with and implement for the future,” she explained.
The consultation provided a platform for open discussions, where participants assessed policy priorities such as age-friendly environments, integrated healthcare systems, economic opportunities, and legal protections for older persons.
Acting Director of Elderly Affairs Unit, Robert Huggins highlighted the importance of the discussions. “There is still a lot more to be done, but we want to ensure that this policy truly speaks to and reflects the needs of our elderly population.”
The National Policy for Older Persons aims to, Safeguard the rights of older persons, Improve healthcare access, Promote economic security, Encourage active participation and inter- generational engagement and Enhance caregiving support.
The Ministry has reiterated that stakeholder feedback will be instrumental in finalizing and implementing a national framework that truly empowers older persons.
– Advertisement –
