Hello brudenell
Thanks for your question. I've summarized the information for you and
then gone into greater detail in separate sections for pensions,
health etc.
SUMMARY
Senior citizens in the BVI get a pension at 65, whether or not they
are still working.
There is free health care, though prescription drugs have to be paid
for at reduced rates.
Senior citizens may be offered help with household tasks and personal
care.
There is currently no help with housing although there is a general
policy to work towards assisting senior citizens with housing needs.
However, elderly people who need nursing may be admitted to
residential care.
There are community programs planned to meet senior citizens' social
needs.
PENSIONS
An age pension is paid at age 65 to qualified contributors even if he
or she continues to work. Welfare grants are given to those persons
who qualify in addition to the benefits from national insurance system
(Social Security).
Social Security is a National Insurance Scheme designed to protect the
insured person from financial distress. The Age Benefit is awarded to
an insured person who has reached the age of sixty-five years and may
be paid as a pension or a grant. A minimum of 500 contributions (or 10
years) to the scheme is needed in order to qualify for a full pension.
(A contribution is a week or any part thereof.) The pension is payable
on a monthly basis and continues for life, whether or not the insured
person continues to be employed. An age grant is a one-time payment to
the insured person who has paid between 50 and 149 contributions and
is equal to six times the average weekly earnings for every 50
contributions paid.
Many of the aged are not covered by the social security scheme because
it was fairly recently established in 1980.
Civil servants who have worked a minimum of 25 consecutive years are
entitled to receive a monthly pension from the government.
HEALTH
Health Clinics provide health services to people in the BVI
communities. Persons 65 years and older can get health care at no
cost.
There are nine health clinics and two district nurses independent of
clinics.
Private sector health care and pharmaceutical items providers offer
substantial discounts to persons 65 years and over.
HOUSING AND RESIDENTIAL CARE
Although the policy for the future is to provide some kind of
assistance to senior citizens with housing problems there don't appear
to be any very specific plans.
The government has been providing care for the aging including homes
for institutional care in 3 major population centers. The Adina
Donovan Home for the Elderly in Road Town, Alm-house in Virgin Gorda
and Long Look.
Anyone who seeks admission....should be:
- in need of temporary accommodation and shelter on account of acute
domestic difficulties or an emergency;
- in need of rehabilitation or specific skills for coping with
certain disabilities sustained either through disease or accident;
- in indigent circumstances;
- sixty (60) years or older;
- deemed to belong to the British Virgin Islands.
OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES
The Senior Citizens programme provides social interaction for the
senior citizens in the community. This includes recreational
activities such as arts and crafts, performing arts, games, readings,
exercise and outings. It also provides transportation to and from the
centre for those in need.
The Social Development Department....administers a senior citizen
programme in the Sea Cows Bay, East End / Long Look and Carrot Bay
communities.
Home Care Services provide in home care to elderly persons such as
light cleaning, grooming and assistance in administering medication.
The Senior Citizens Day Programme provides meals to the sick and the
shut-in in various communities by referral.
FURTHER INFORMATION, POLICY etc.
"According to the statistics available, it shows that the aging
population has increased in recent years. This is due to rise in life
expectance to 74 years and general increase in population. This will
require the expansion of social services including higher national
insurance payments and special recreation targeted at an aging
population. This aging of the population as well as the entry of more
women into the formal labour force has created the need for
institutional care for the elderly. As more women, the traditional
care-givers, are now in the formal labour force they are no longer
available to provide the full time care for aging relatives."
Development Planning Unit of the BVI: elderly
http://dpu.org/Archives/Archives%2000/SocialWelfare.htm#(iii).%20The%20Elderly:
"Many of the aged are not covered by the Social Security scheme
because it was fairly recently established (1980). A limited number of
people receive a small monthly pension. The coverage is small because
the Welfare Department has inadequate funds and inadequate staff to
investigate cases of genuine need. Additional research is required to
assess the present condition of the elderly in the BVI and the extent
to which they are able to access the programmes developed to aid
them."
"BVI Government Pension Scheme
Civil servants who have worked a minimum of 25 consecutive years are
entitled to receive a monthly pension from the Government. A Bill
entitled Pensions (Increase Act) Act, 1996 was passed at the
Legislative Council meeting on December 20, 1996. Retired Civil
servants were given increases ranging from 10 percent to 25 percent
depending on the date of retirement. According to the amendment, the
rates of increase provided will be retroactive from April 1, 1995."
"Chief Minister Ralph O’Neal in his 1996 Budget Address announced
Government’s plan to conduct an actuarial review of the pension plan
and ex-gratia allowances to include persons who served but were never
covered under a pension plan. Actual expenditure on pensions and
gratuities was $2.2m in 1994. Government’s expenditure on pensions and
gratuities for 1996 is estimated at $3.2m. This expenditure item ranks
ninth in the ten largest expenditure heads in terms of recurrent
expenditure."
Department Planning Unit of BVI: pensions
http://dpu.org/Plans/NIDS/Vulnerableandexcluded.htm#BVI%20Government%20Pension%20Scheme
"The maximum charge payable by a resident in a home for the elderly is
fifty percent (50%) of the estimated cost to keep such resident at the
Home. The remaining fifty percent of the estimated cost of upkeep is
met by the Government. At least one month’s upkeep is to be paid upon
admission, and thereafter payments must be made on a monthly basis."
"The Virgin Islands Party, which currently makes up the Government,
listed in its 1994 development strategy the following measures to
improve the situation of senior citizens and challenged persons in the
BVI:
Protect the solvency of the Social Security System.
Support programs and activities through government and community
resources to bring needed services to this generation.
Incorporate requirements in law to provide for disabled persons in
public places.
Develop additional and rehabilitate existing senior citizen homes.
Ensure provision of shelter for vulnerable groups especially
low-income families, single mothers, handicapped, elderly etc. by
providing sites and services as well as lines of credit in the area of
housing."
REFERENCES
A to Z guide to government services
http://www.psdp.gov.vg/a_z2002/qrs.htm.
index to guide to government services
http://www.psdp.gov.vg/a_z2002/a-zindex.htm
Department Planning Unit of BVI
http://dpu.org
general information on health services
http://www.paho.org/english/HIA1998/BritishVI.pdf.
general social policy in the BVI
http://dpu.org/AboutUs/AboutUs.htm
tax guide
www.ey.com/global/vault.nsf/EYPassport/British_Virgin_Islands_Global/
$file/Global_-_British_Virgin_Islands.pd
newspaper article on senior citizens' centres
http://www.islandsun.com/archives/2001-May/250501/local2-v4i60.html
I hope this will be helpful. Please feel free to get back to me using
the 'request clarification' option if anything needs further
explanation.
Regards - Leli
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