The Department of Elderly Affairs (Directie Ouderenzaken) has announced that it will be introducing new quality care standards for care homes, both private and public, in Aruba. This decision comes after regular meetings with care homes to ensure continued communication and improvements in service quality.
Since 2024, the Department of Elderly Affairs has been notifying care homes about the introduction of these new standards. By the end of 2025, the implementation of these standards was officially approved by the Ministerial Council.
Desiree Thodé-Helder, the Director of the Department of Elderly Affairs, shared in a recent interview with DIARIO that the new standards would be introduced in three phases. The first phase will involve assessing the current situation (nullmeting), gaining a clearer understanding of the conditions at care homes, and using this assessment to set new standards, which will be aligned with the requirements currently in place.
Thodé-Helder emphasized that the initiative is aimed at improving the quality of care for the elderly, not only in care homes but across all elderly care services. “Care homes always strive to provide adequate care, but too often, they lack the necessary facilities and personnel to meet the standards,” she explained.
The new approach aims to improve care quality and ensure sustainability, taking into account the individual needs of each person and the necessary facilities. These facilities will include accommodations such as proper housing, food, beds, bathrooms, and more.
According to Thodé-Helder, there are currently 18 care homes across the island, including both private and public facilities. “The restructuring of care homes based on the implementation of the new quality standards will begin soon. Not all care homes currently have the appropriate facilities and staff to provide the most complex care. In cases where care is less complex, homes that meet the new standards will provide care accordingly,” Thodé-Helder stated.
She further explained that facilities meeting these requirements would be granted the appropriate permits to operate and deliver the required care levels.
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