Crisis with abandoned older adults continues to strain gov’t, health care.

Jonathan Morales Adorno, president of the Federation of Long‑Term Care Institutions

By THE STAR STAFF

Puerto Rico continues to confront a rapidly escalating humanitarian and fiscal emergency as thousands of older adults are being abandoned or left without adequate care, straining hospitals, government budgets and long‑term care institutions across the island.

Jonathan Morales Adorno, president of the Federation of Long‑Term Care Institutions, said in a recent radio interview that the Family Department is currently subsidizing care for more than 7,000 elderly adults, a commitment that consumes some $10 million each month. The agency has also received over 8,000 new requests for relocation of older adults so far this year, signaling a crisis that continues to accelerate.

Morales warns that if all pending requests were approved, monthly expenditures would surge to $25 million, an amount he describes as unsustainable under the current government budget. He noted that even with a total allocation of $120 million for the current fiscal year, payroll expenses nearing $10 million per month render the budget insufficient. In response, Gov. Jenniffer González Colón has authorized an additional $30 million to help contain the unfolding emergency.

Morales emphasized that Puerto Rico’s older adults are in the midst of a profound crisis and urged the Legislature and central government to intervene decisively.

The scale of abandonment has grown sharply over the past decade. In the past seven years alone, more than 4,300 cases of elderly abandonment have been reported, according to data compiled by TeleOnce. Within a single year, hospitals documented 769 cases, reflecting a troubling rise linked to the out‑migration of younger family members and diminishing familial support structures.

Hospitals and long‑term care facilities are now struggling under mounting pressure. This month, legislators publicly expressed concern about the increasing number of elderly individuals abandoned in public hospitals, a trend contributing to operational strain and overcrowding. 

Beyond institutional strain, the social toll is evident in the expanding number of older adults living alone. Data has reportedly indicated that over 200,000 elderly residents now live in isolation, many depending on the goodwill of neighbors to meet basic needs. 

Demographic trends continue to worsen the situation. With more than 770,000 elderly individuals reported by the 2022 U.S. Census and an average island age of 44.5 years, Puerto Rico has one of the most rapidly aging populations in the hemisphere. Persistently low birth rates combined with sustained migration have reduced the number of available caregivers and increased pressure on remaining families and institutions.

Meanwhile, authorities continue to document multiple forms of abuse and neglect. The Services for the Elderly Administration outlines a range of mistreatment -- physical, emotional, and financial abuse; abandonment; illegal appropriation; threats; and exploitation -- all addressed under Puerto Rico’s Law 121‑2019, which seeks to protect older adults from harm.

In an effort to counter the crisis, the government established the interagency Task Force on Elder Abandonment in 2024. The initiative brings together the Family, Justice, and Housing departments, the Office of the Elderly Advocate, AARP and other organizations. The group aims to propose new legislation, identify resource gaps, and guide the public on the importance of supporting and safeguarding the elderly population. Still, experts acknowledge that much more must be done to address what has become a deeply rooted systemic emergency.

As the number of abandoned and vulnerable older adults continues to rise, officials, advocates and health professionals warn that Puerto Rico must adopt long‑term, comprehensive solutions -- or face an intensifying social and fiscal crisis with consequences for generations to come.