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Meeting demographic change:

Working towards social inclusion of all

Continued from yesterday

The Social Services and Social Welfare Ministry initiated 'Care Givers' for Elders program in 2007 with the aim to provide care givers for elders so that the children could be able to deploy trained care givers to look after their parents.

In the second stage of this program, 82 volunteers from both male and female aged between 25-45 and educated up to O/L were selected from Thimbirigasyaya, Maharagama, Rathmalana, Moratuwa, Kolonnawa, Dehiwala, Piliyandala, Wattala and Malabe divisions.


Income generation for elders. File photo

Rs. 500 for eight hour a day and Rs. 600 for eight hours during the night time. Rs. 50 is charged for an additional hour.

Instructions have been issued to the Provincial Directors to conduct the caregiver's training program at provincial level.

Action has been taken to prepare a pension scheme under the Sri Lanka Social Security Board for the Elders above the age of 70. As a first step, the Social Services, and Social Welfare Ministry has obtained Rs. 3 million from the Treasury by the 'Supiri Wasana' lottery and started the pension scheme.

The social security pension and welfare scheme was inaugurated in the year 1996 by an Act of Parliament. This Pension Scheme has been introduced and 300,000 persons between the age of 18-59 who are self-employed have been enroled at present. Objective of this scheme is to strengthen economic capacity of elderly at their old age.

Persons who are above 60 years can obtain Elders Identity Card from Grama Niladhari, Divisional Secretariat or the National Secretariat for Elders.

Elders' Identity Card facilitated elders to have priority in Government and private sector services, ability to get an additional interest for fixed deposits in National Savings Bank and ability to get 5 percent discount from State Pharmacutical Corporation for purchasing medicines and 670,962 Identity Cards have been issued up to now.

These village level elders' committees have been started with the aim to protect the rights of elders, encourage welfare programs for them, get their participation in the divisional development activities and enhance their social, economical and spiritual development.

A day centre can be established in a public building at divisional level for elders to spend the day with their friends. Rs. 25,000 is given for this through the Divisional Secretary.

In 2008, 24 new day centres and 14 income generating projects have been provided with funds. Around 169 persons have been granted funds for income generating projects by village level elders committees.

A separate directorate has been established by the Health Ministry to provide health facilities for the elderly people. The medical officers of health have been educated in implementing active ageing programs. Clinics are being conducted for elderly women.

With the aim of improving living conditions of elders, the National Council for Elders has taken steps to provide financial assistance for self-employment ventures. Elders who are members of village level elders' committees are receiving self-employment grants enabling them to initiate income generation programs.

A sponsorship scheme has been implemented with the aim of providing an opportunity to philanthropists, Government and non-government institutions or organizations to provide financial assistance to look after destitute elders over 70 years of age. Private sector institutions are assisting this scheme under the corporate social responsibility program.

Under Api Vavamu Rata Nagamu program at national level elders' committees are activated to improve home gardening in all parts of the country. Through this program, it is expected the elderly will improve their mental health while contributing to the national economy.

Policy recommendations were made focusing on (a) Older persons and development and (b) Older persons and their families, which Governments should be encouraged.

In above (a) some of the key recommendations made are given below:

(1) Alleviation of poverty in old age

(2) Policies and programs aimed at older persons with special attention to rural areas

(3) Programs for promotion of active ageing

(4) Provision of support to older persons in vulnerable situations such as those providing care and protection to needy grandchildren and older persons living alone.

(5) Facilitating the provision for access to information, communication and life-long learning.

Under (b) some of the key recommendations are;

(1) Formulation of policies that enable families

(2) Taking action for health promotion and disease prevention aimed at promoting the healthy ageing population

(3) Creation of barrier-free/age friendly environment for older persons to create an inclusive society

(4) Promotion of organizations for older persons and other community-based organizations at grassroot level that could provide social protection and social inclusion

(5) Strengthening legal efforts to ensure and protect the rights of older persons.

The ageing of our population will create tremendous demands for new social services.

In a developing country like Sri Lanka, the problem of poverty has overshadowed the problem of ageing. There are insufficient funds to change the situation.

As older people increase in number, they are in danger of being perceived even less than they are now as social assets, and more as a drag on development. Attitudinal changes of all ages have to take place through awareness programs.

Social and economic planning must take the elderly into account as a resource, rather than as people waiting for help. Therefore, the challenge is to see the role of older people in society as included in the need to maintain and advance economic development, and thus viewed anew as part of the same phenomenon.

Let us work towards social inclusion of all as family surrounding is the best place to live.

The writer is the Chairperson of the National Council for Elders

Concluded

 

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