One of the things that will prompt expressions of national pride and well wishes from Barbadians is the ever-growing list of centenarians, particularly when they feature in the local media on reaching their milestones.Indeed, Barbados is regarded as having the highest centenarians per capita.We are also told that this country is home to the highest percentage of persons aged 65 and over in the English-speaking Caribbean, and we lead the region with more than 10 per cent of our population classified as elderly.Perhaps this is why it is mind boggling and downright shameful that our health authorities on Wednesday were forced, once again, to highlight what can only be described as a societal illness that continues to fester.