The Gauteng Department of Social Development has embarked on a mass public awareness campaign on Services to Older Persons, as part of celebrating senior citizens across the province.
As part of this campaign, the department's Social Workers, Precious Nxumalo and Christinah Masilela-Khumalo were on a community radio station, Westside FM, on Monday to educate listeners on older persons rights and abuse. They also raised awareness on services to older persons and outlined the impact of Covid-19 to the elderly.
Nxumalo said, "October is declared the Social Development Month and it coincides with the Commemoration of the International Day of Older Persons on the 1st October as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in accordance with Resolution 45/106. 30 September to the 06 October 2020 was declared as the Week of Older Persons and we observed it from 28 September to 04 October. The 1st Sunday of October month is declared as the Grandparents' Day".
Masilela-Khumalo added that, "Each year the United Nations provides the theme for the commemoration of International Day of Older Persons considering the challenges facing older persons globally during that particular year. The theme of this year is: "PANDEMIC: DO THEY CHANGE HOW WE ADDRESS AGE AND AGEING?".
Older Persons are pillars of families as they continue to provide care to their grandchildren, orphans, vulnerable children and others in need of care. Older persons themselves require care and support, and all efforts must be made to address their vulnerability. The Covid-19 pandemic is causing untold fear and suffering for older people across the world. They have been identified to have higher susceptibility to the effects of epidemics.
This is owing to their deteriorating immunity, contributed partly by the physiology of the ageing and more specifically due to any existing comorbidity conditions", she alluded.
Nxumalo also added that, "At the moment centres rendering active ageing are partially operational due to the pandemic. Following the outbreak of Covid-19 luncheon clubs no longer prepare warm food for our elderly, instead they come and collect food parcels so that they can cook for themselves. We also educate them on taking precautions to avoid being infected by the virus. We are busy assessing these centres if they will be safe for the elderly, so that they access all the services", she said.