Secretary for Health, Wellness and Social Protection, Dr. Faith B.Yisreal, is urging persons to be responsible and ask questions when choosing a Home for their elderly relatives.
She made the statement as the THA Division of Health, Wellness and Social Protection embarks on inspections of Elderly Care Homes across Tobago.
This comes on the heels of several seniors being relocated from a Senior Citizens Home in Bon-Accord earlier this week.
Dr. B.Yisreal notes that the Private Hospitals Act has been in record but has not really been used before. However, she says efforts are being made throughout the country to look into this.
She was at the time speaking to the media following the first voluntary blood drive at the Buccoo Health Facility.
B. Yisrael said people can no longer open and operate any facility unless all of the requirements are met.
Regarding the process of inspecting homes for compliance, she said it will be up to individuals to ask homes for their licences, which should be done by the end of the year. She said there are around eight official homes for the aged in Tobago, but there are individuals who have started operations with a handful of elderly people.
“We are ensuring that the individuals who do that do it the correct way.”
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