KINGSTON, Jamaica — A quiet epidemic is unfolding across the island, as alarming new data reveals that elderly Jamaicans are most often mistreated by the very people they depend on most—family members and paid caregivers.
In a submission this week to the Jamaican Senate, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) outlined troubling statistics compiled by the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC), spanning a five-year period from 2019 to 2024. The findings paint a stark picture of systemic abuse, primarily occurring within the victims’ closest circles.
Out of 134 documented abuse cases involving senior citizens, family members were responsible for more than half (77). Caregivers accounted for 42, while strangers and close acquaintances made up the remainder. The abuse spanned various forms—most notably financial exploitation, which led with 43 cases.
Neglect and abandonment followed closely at 39 instances, with physical abuse (26), emotional abuse (24), and sexual abuse (2) rounding out the reports. The data also highlights a gender disparity, with elderly women being disproportionately affected across nearly every category, particularly financial and emotional abuse.
Social protection advocates say the figures likely reflect only a fraction of the actual abuse taking place. Many elderly individuals, out of fear, dependence, or shame, never come forward. Legislators are now under pressure to strengthen protections, establish reporting mechanisms, and hold abusers accountable.
With Jamaica’s ageing population expected to grow in the coming decades, lawmakers are warning that without swift legislative intervention and community action, this crisis will deepen.
