03.01.01. Overview | Jamaica

03.01.01. Overview | Jamaica

27 Sep 2022

The Government of Jamaica operates 16 long-term care facilities referred to as infirmaries which provide housing, physical and mental health care to those 18 years and older who are unable to care for themselves. However, the infrastructure and staff capacity to meet the needs of all those eligible is limited. As a result, long-term care is provided primarily by the private sector through nursing homes which are governed by a regulatory body. Unfortunately, most of these homes are unregistered and, therefore, unregulated. Moreover, these residential homes or care home placement and overall long-term care, tend to be costly and are not covered by public or private insurance, thus creating barriers to accessibility. As such, care is usually provided by unpaid carers such as family members, friends and neighbours who are typically unskilled in dementia care and management.