During the two-day IPKO meeting, the topic of elderly care took a central place on the agenda. Parliamentarian Gino Goeloe expressed that the topic is receiving the attention it deserves, not only in Aruba but also in all the countries represented at IPKO.
According to Goeloe, all the islands are facing the challenge of population aging. He pointed out that it is no secret that Curaçao is also experiencing significant pressure due to the increase in elderly residents within its population.
During the meeting, Aruba’s Director of Elderly Care, Desirée Helder, presented the local situation and current plans. Her presentation was positively received by the other delegations, who expressed interest in continuing discussions on the topic in future IPKO meetings.
Goeloe emphasized that a dignified life for the elderly is a human right. He stated that Aruba has taken concrete steps, including allocating additional funding to organizations that provide care to seniors, in order to strengthen programs and improve the quality of care.
In addition, there is existing legislation which, according to Goeloe, needs to be reinforced with stronger monitoring and supervision, especially regarding private care homes. Currently, the Director of Elderly Care and her team are working together with the private sector on a stronger legal framework to ensure comprehensive protection for the elderly. Concrete plans are under development.
The model Aruba is developing has attracted special interest from Curaçao, which wishes to continue exchanging information at upcoming IPKO meetings.
Finally, Goeloe indicated that the Netherlands has extensive expertise in elderly care and can provide technical support to the Caribbean islands to strengthen knowledge, train qualified personnel, and increase interest in the care sector in the future.