This newspaper never gets carried away by any grandiose government announcements, preferring to wait for clear signs that implementation of the promised policies and programmes is underway.

Let’s face it: Many government announcements are really aimed at burnishing their image, frequently related to some special events, such as impending elections or a drop in their favourability rating in public opinion polls.

Still, we are hopeful that the recent proposal by Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton to have a census done, to find ways to improve the lives of an estimated 150,000 badly paid or grossly underpaid caregivers in Jamaica will become reality sooner than later.

“We really haven’t done a proper census, and it’s something I would like us to do. It would be good to have a database of these individuals, these volunteers, these people who may be working for a little bit of stipend or driven not by the money but by the passion, commitment, and sense of community,” Dr Tufton said at the recent Training of Trainers for Home Visits of Older Adults for Geriatric Health Workshop in St Andrew.

It is no secret to any one of adult age in Jamaica that caregivers, generally speaking, receive paltry compensation, if any, for the hard work and sacrifice many make to care for members of our ageing population.

Senator Floyd Morris, who has been persistent in pushing for legislation to protect seniors, estimated in 2025 that there are more than 320,000 senior citizens in Jamaica, or about 13.2 per cent of the population, making them one of the largest vulnerable groups.

Research, he said, suggests that, by 2050, senior citizens, that is, individuals over 60, will comprise anywhere between 25 per cent and 30 per cent of the population.

Indeed, Minister Tufton was spot on in saying that if caregivers were not available the society would be in chaos. They carry out such seemingly mundane but critical functions, like prepare meals; purchase food and medication; provide transportation to clinics; help with bathing, dressing, feeding, mobility; manage appointments, and offer emotional support and companionship.

According to one study, caregiving in Jamaica relies heavily on informal, unpaid family members, which is causing significant physical and emotional strain. The burden of caregiving falls mainly on people in the 45 to 65 age group and on children or grandchildren of the care recipient.

Depending on whose figures one accepts, caregiver daily costs range from $100 for part-time (four hours) to $350 for full-time, live-in care, and up to $800 for round-the-clock supervision.

The suggested average cost of care in nursing homes is $72,500 per month or $870,000 per year. Imagine, then, how much the employees are paid from that.

All this makes Dr Tufton’s proposal to have this census done even more crucial. It cannot be just empty promises.

We have also suggested before that Government can help seniors by discontinuing the rapacious 25 per cent income tax on their already paltry pension.