Behind the smiles at church, in the shop line, or sitting on a roadside bench, there’s a quiet struggle playing out every day — stretching small social security payments, paying for doctor visits and medication, and trying to retire with dignity in a world that’s getting more expensive by the month.
Let’s talk honestly about it.
Living on Social Security: When the Money Just Can’t Stretch
For most seniors in Choiseul/Saltibus, the main lifeline is a monthly pension from the National Insurance Corporation (NIC) or a small government assistance grant.
The problem?
Prices have gone up on everything:
- Food at the shop or supermarket
- Cooking gas and electricity
- Transport to town for clinic visits or to collect medication
- Basic household items and personal care products
Many older people are left doing harsh calculations:
“Do I pay the light bill… or do I buy my tablets?”
“Can I afford fresh fruits this week… or must I just buy flour and rice?”
Some receive strong support from children and family. Others are alone or have relatives who are struggling just as much. Pride also plays a role — many elders don’t like to “beg,” so they quietly cut back on meals, skip important purchases, or run up credit at the village shops.
Health Care Costs: Free on Paper, Expensive in Reality
People often say, “But health care is free at the public hospital.”
In real life, older residents know that staying healthy still costs money:
- Medication shortages mean buying tablets at private pharmacies.
- Transport to Soufrière, Vieux Fort, or Castries for tests and specialist visits is not cheap.
- Private doctors are sometimes the only option to get seen quickly.
- Special diets for diabetes, hypertension, or heart conditions are more expensive than a simple “bread and butter” life.
For a retired farmer or shopkeeper on a small pension, a single test or private consultation can wipe out half the month’s income. Many seniors in our district “self-manage” serious illnesses because they simply cannot afford consistent follow-up care.
Retirement Security: When Work Never Really Ends
Retirement in Choiseul/Saltibus is not always a rocking chair and a peaceful sea breeze.
A lot of older residents:
- Still farm small plots, rear a few animals, or sell a little produce to survive.
- Help raise grandchildren so their own children can work.
- Take on casual work — cooking, washing, odd jobs — just to add a few dollars to the pension.
Very few had access to private pensions, long-term savings plans, or financial planning when they were younger. Many worked in informal jobs: farming, construction, domestic work, shop work, or small hustles that never contributed to NIC.
Now, in their 60s, 70s, and 80s, they are facing:
- Uncertainty: “If I get sick, what will happen to me?”
- Anxiety: “If my child loses their job, can they still help me?”
- Fear of dependence: Nobody wants to feel like a burden.
The Emotional Toll: Loneliness and Worry
Money and health are only part of the story.
There is also:
- Loneliness when children move away or migrate.
- Stress when bills pile up.
- Shame when elders feel they “shouldn’t be struggling at this age.”
Some older residents stay strong through faith, community groups, church, or friendly neighbours who check in and share a meal. But we must admit: too many are suffering quietly behind closed doors.
Where Do We Go From Here?
If we care about our elders — the same people who built Choiseul/Saltibus with their hands, their sweat, and their sacrifices — then we can’t just shrug and say, “That’s life.”
We need:
- Stronger, more realistic social security benefits that reflect today’s cost of living.
- Better access to affordable health care and medication, especially for chronic illnesses.
- Community-based support systems so no elderly person in our district is left hungry, lonely, or neglected.
- Financial education for younger generations, so history doesn’t repeat itself.
Most importantly, we need to listen.
Sit with the older people in Roblot, Piaye, Mongouge, Dacretin, Caffiere, Saltibus, Delcer — and ask them what help they truly need. The solutions for retirement security, health care, and social support must include their voices.
Because a community that honours its elders is a community that respects its own future.
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