Bermuda’s seniors need an independent watchdog according to Opposition MP Louise Jackson.Mrs Jackson, the spokesperson for seniors with the One Bermuda Alliance, has been calling for an Ombudsman for Seniors for at least seven years.According to the last census, 14 percent of the Island’s population is aged 65 and over, with the greying population set to rise in future.“The One Bermuda Alliance would move to protect Bermuda’s most vulnerable citizens by appointing an Independent Ombudsman for Seniors,” said Mrs Jackson yesterday.“The Independent Ombudsman for Seniors would act as a watchdog, working to prevent the kinds of senior abuse that we have all become familiar with as a result of recent court cases, and other incidences of senior abuse that have made the news.”Mrs Jackson said not all elderly people can rely on their family for support, and it would be useful for them to have someone to turn to.“The person appointed to the position would be a neutral, confidential and independent third party who could listen to seniors with legal, medical and social problems, provide information, offer suggested solutions, and generally help Bermuda’s seniors to navigate complex government systems so that they know where, and who, to go to for help,” she explained.Useful website: www.oba.bm.