Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Services, the Hon. Bacchus A. Rolle, Wednesday (October 7, 2026), rolled out six major components of the Older Persons Rights, Protection, Care and Support Bill, 2026, that will, among other key measures, guarantee access to healthcare for Older Persons, including support for those living with dementia and other cognitive impairments, as well as palliative and end-of-life care.
Palliative care is the specialized medical care for people living with serious illnesses, focusing on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both patient and their family. Specialized care is provided by specially-trained teams of doctors, nurses, social workers and other specialists who work with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support and is based on the patient’s needs and not their prognosis.
The Bill’s focus on support for persons living with dementia and other cognitive impairments, comes at a most critical time as statistics from regional and international bodies (including the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization) highlight that cognitive decline and neurocognitive disorders (like Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias) represent a substantial and rapidly growing health burden for older persons in The Bahamas.
It is estimated that between 1,920 and 2,000 persons currently live with dementia in-country. Dementia cases are anticipated to grow to 6,000 by the year 2050.
The Bill also addresses the financial exploitation of Older Persons which carries a penalty of $50,000, or five years’ imprisonment, or both:
· Establishes “clear and enforceable prohibitions” against physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse of Older Persons.
· Addresses the abandonment of elders in hospitals and care facilities.
· Prohibits any unfair restriction of access to places or services on the basis of age alone.
· Requires next of kin to ensure a safe living environment, adequate food and water, clothing and essential care. And requires next of kin to make arrangements when an elder is discharged from hospital — within seventy-two hours.
· Holds caregivers — whether family, informal or professional — to a standard of transparency, honesty and legal accountability.
· Creates a comprehensive framework for social assistance — including a digital portal for services, day care programmes for older persons, community nursing, home-based health services, caregiver training and support, designated liaison officers to help elders navigate the system, priority access in businesses and on public transportation, legal assistance on a pro bono basis for wills and powers of attorney.
· Allows for the integration of assistive technologies, including emergency alert devices, health monitoring and location assistance for persons living with cognitive impairment.
· Establishes a complaints mechanism through the National Hotline and the Department of Social Services, with mandatory investigation timelines — twenty-four hours for emergencies, seventy-two hours for general cases.
· Continues the National Council on Older Persons as the formal advisory body, appoints protection officers with the power to visit and inspect residences and care facilities, and provides for court-ordered care and protection — including emergency removal to a place of safety when an elder is in imminent danger,
· And includes a National Dementia Strategy. This Bill accords priority to the development, implementation and monitoring of a National Dementia Strategy — developed in meaningful consultation with persons living with dementia, caregivers and relevant stakeholders.
“This is not an afterthought.” State Minister Rolle told Parliament. “It is a centre-piece of this legislation, recognizing the growing challenge of cognitive decline in an ageing population.”
State Minister Rolle said Part III of the Bill affirms the fundamental human rights of every older person in The Bahamas –the right to equality before the law, to live with dignity and security, to protection of privacy, and to full participation in the social, economic and cultural life of the nation.
“It affirms their right to autonomy in personal, financial and health decisions. It creates a framework for anonymous reporting of suspected abuse, with legal protections for those who report in good faith. And critically, it tackles — head-on — the financial exploitation of our older persons, the theft of their pensions, the misuse of their savings, the coercion to sign over property.
