August 2018


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The “Connecting the Dots: Work Life Balance Ageing” conference was hosted by the Institute of Gender and Development Studies and the Social Work Unit in April.

The conference was energized by the recently concluded three-year research project “Work/Life Balance: Its Impact on the Productivity of Working Men and Women and on the Wellbeing of Ageing Populations” which was funded by The UWI Research and Development Impact Fund, and brought together stakeholders, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America, and the Caribbean (UNECLAC), International Labour Organization, Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean (ILO/DWT), Women Working for Social Progress (Working Women), policy makers, public sector official, corporate sector representatives, caregivers, civil society, regional and international scholars in the field of ageing, and members of the public.

Lead Investigator, Professor Patricia Mohammed established the need for the research and the conference from the onset, by highlighting the demographic shifts towards an ageing population in the Caribbean and the imperatives for society to plan forward to address the emerging changes.

The conference began with a difference, moving away from traditional conferences which establish social problems from the onset. Rather, the introduction of an animation piece specially commissioned by First Citizen’s Bank, allowed young people to produce a public think-piece which guided the participants through re-imagining life in a society which supports our ageing population.

Professor Denise Eldemire Shearer, Director of the Mona Ageing and Wellness Centre set the tone for the conference with her presentation entitled: “Ageing and the Art of Living: A Doctor’s Prescription”

The Work Life Balance & Ageing Research team shared the findings of the project and invited participants to dialogue during an Open Mike session on the topic: Finding Our Equilibrium- Full of Ups and Down”. Other panels highlighted issues of care work and ageing with speakers Cynthia Carrington Murray of J&C Adult Daycare and Re-Creation Centre, Emmanuel Joseph from Martinique and Ariel Pino, representing the ILO. The day ended with a panel discussion on Duties of Care with Dr Neleen Baboolal, Dr Simone Mc Fee and Satye Seemungal framing the discussion around dignity in care and preserving the quality of life of persons for as long as possible.

The second day’s keynote speaker, Mrs. Niala Persad-Poliah, Executive Director of the National Insurance Board of Trinidad and Tobago, stimulated the audience’s thinking around “planning for a longer working life.” Her presentation around the realities of increasing life expectancy, the doubling of the over 60 sector of the population and a contraction in the workforce aged 15-60, invited conversations around whether older people should have the right to continue working beyond the current compulsory retirement age.

Other panel discussions followed on Work, Ageing and Society with Ms Diane Hector, Dr Letnie Rock, Ms Douladel Willie and Mr Feyaad Khan,. The final panel, Implications of Work and Work/Life Balance and Ageing Issues capped the discussions for the day. Presenters at this panel included Mr. Nirad Tiwarie, Mr. Francis Jones and Mrs. Christine Sahadeo.