Update
MOSSEL BAY NEWS - World Elderly Abuse Awareness Day is commemorated annually on 15 June. In previous years, local senior citizens congregated at ACVV Kenani on this day, to share their sometimes painful experiences of abuse and to learn their rights in terms of the Constitution.
Due to Covid-19 and the prohibition of social gatherings, this year posed several challenges in creating awareness and therefore enabling older persons to stand up against abuse. Information had to be distributed via social media and WhatsApp.
Those able to reach and penetrate the community, like the Department of Corrections through Community Corrections, distributed masks and information to senior citizens during their routine monitoring of parolees and probationers.
As the isolation of older persons from their loved ones remains an emotional burden, those working with the elderly are challenged to come up with appropriate solutions. Minimising risk of Covid-19 infection during obtaining social grants was also raised as a concern this week as WEAAD was commemorated.
The action committee responsible for rolling out WEAAD suggested a two pronged approach for 2020 leading up to October, when National Older Persons Month is celebrated.
The first programme is the Birthday Project. "With this programme we would like to build a data base of the elderly and give recognition to them on their birthdays. This can be done via social media or community members becoming involved especially where the elderly are lonely or their children reside far from here," a spokesperson for the committee said.
The second program is Purple Fridays. "On this day we would like all to speak out against elderly abuse by wearing purple on Fridays." Older persons who suffer any form of abuse are encouraged to make contact with Alma Kritzinger from the Mossel Bay Municipality (079 691 7708 or send an email to akritzinger@mosselbay.gov.za) or Johanna Joshua (082 574 6132 or send an email to jfjoshua59@gmail.com), representative of the Western Cape Forum for Older Persons.
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