Mauritius Lowers Age for Home Medical Visits to 85 in Elderly Care Push

Mauritius celebrated the International Day of Older Persons 2026 on Wednesday at the J&J Auditorium in Phoenix, bringing together officials and stakeholders to discuss the country's ageing population and the support systems in place to serve them. This year's theme — "Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives: Launching Dialogues and Initiatives on Intergenerational Solidarity in Mauritius" — set the tone for a broader conversation about how society can better include, protect, and honour its elderly citizens. **New measures on the table** The event shone a spotlight on two concrete policy developments aimed at improving care for older Mauritians. First, the government is lowering the age threshold for free home medical visits from 90 to 85 years old. This means that elderly Mauritians aged 85 and above — rather than only those aged 90 and over — will now qualify for doctors to visit them at home, a significant step for those with limited mobility or chronic illness who struggle to reach health facilities. Second, amendments are being made to the **Protection of Elderly Persons Act**, the key legislation in Mauritius that provides legal safeguards for older citizens against abuse, neglect, and exploitation. While specific details of the amendments were not disclosed at the event, their mention signals that the legal framework protecting seniors is being actively reviewed and strengthened. **Why it matters** Mauritius has one of the fastest-ageing populations in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean region. According to Statistics Mauritius data, the proportion of citizens aged 60 and above has been growing steadily, putting increasing pressure on health, social welfare, and pension systems. Speakers at the Phoenix event emphasised the need to recognise the contributions older people make to Mauritian society — as caregivers, knowledge-holders, and community anchors — while also ensuring they are not left behind as the country develops. Intergenerational solidarity — the idea that younger and older generations must actively support one another — was a central theme, with officials calling for more structured dialogue between age groups at community and national levels. **What this means for older Mauritians** For the roughly 100,000+ Mauritians aged 65 and above, these changes represent a meaningful, if incremental, improvement in access to healthcare and legal protection. The lowering of the home visit age threshold in particular addresses a practical gap: many elderly Mauritians in their mid-to-late 80s already face serious health challenges but previously fell outside the eligibility window. The amendments to the Protection of Elderly Persons Act, once finalised, could expand the rights and remedies available to seniors facing mistreatment or neglect — whether at home or in care institutions. Source: ION News