The Government, through the Ministry of Social Protection, is taking the necessary steps to ensure that all registered elderly care facilities in Guyana meet the minimum standards expected.
According to Director of Social Services, Whentworth Tanner many of these homes fall short of the minimum standards of ensuring their residents are treated equally, fairly and with dignity, and lead productive lives.
Tanner was quoted in a recent interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) as saying that through the Elderly Residential Facilities Visiting Committee, the Ministry has been conducting regular visits to the facilities to ensure full compliance.
On the issue of those non-registered homes, Tanner noted that the Ministry of Social Protection is collaborating with the Ministry of Health and the agencies to bring them in line with those standards. According to DPI, the Director explained that the aim is not the closure or penalisation of these homes, but rather, to work with them so that they provide the best quality of service.
“…It is not to be punitive, at least not in its embryonic stages, but is for us to work with these homes to build their capacity, so that they can meet the minimum standards,” Tanner explained.
