FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1982
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ROLE FOR ELDERLY IN VOLUNTARY WORK
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THE DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MR SELWYN ALLEYNE, TODAY (FRIDAY) STRESSED THE NEED TO PROMOTE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN VOLUNTARY SERVICES TO THE COMMUNITY.
ADDRESSING A GATHERING OF SCOUTS OFFICIALS THIS EVENING, MR ALLEYNE SAID WHAT OLD PEOPLE LACKED IN PHYSICAL VIGOUR COULD BE MORE THAN COMPENSATED FOR BY THE EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE WHICH THEY COULD BRING TO VOLUNTARY WORK.
THEY COULD ALSO DEVOTE MORE TIME AND CONSIDERATION TO THE NEEDS OF LESS FORTUNATE PEOPLE, HE SAID.
HE NOTED THAT A RAPID CHANGE TO SMALLER AND NUCLEAR FAMİLY GROUPS HERE HAD GIVEN RISE TO MORE ELDERLY PEOPLE LIVING A LONELY, DEPRIVED AND APPARENTLY PURPOSELESS EXISTENCE+.
HE SAID A PROGRAMME PLAN ON SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY, DRAWN UP IN 1977, PROVIDED OLD PEOPLE WITH A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES, INCLUDING CASH BENEFITS, HOUSING ASSISTANCE, MEDICAL CARE, COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND RESIDENTIAL SERVICES.
ITS MAIN AIM WAS TO HELP OLD PEOPLE RETAIN THEIR INTEREST AND ENTHUSIASM FOR LIFE AND PLAY A ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY, HE SAID.
+A KEY ROLE IN THIS EFFORT IS PLAYED BY SOCIAL CENTRES FOR THE ELDERLY WHICH ARE RUN BY VOLUNTARY SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES AND WHICH PROVIDE OLD PEOPLE WITH A PLACE TO MEET INFORMALLY, MAKE SOCIAL CONTACTS AND PARTICIPATE IN A VARIETY OF ORGANISED RECREATION ACTIVITIES,+ HE ADDED.
HE STRESSED THAT OLD PEOPLE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO MAINTAIN SOCIAL CONTACTS, TO LEARN AND TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FAMILY KINSHIP SYSTEM AND COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS.
+THIS IS WHERE THE INCREASING INVOLVEMENT OF OLD PEOPLE IN VOLUNTARY SERVICE IS OF SUCH IMPORTANCE, + HE SAID.
REFERRING TO THE WORLD ASSEMBLY ON AGEING WHICH HE ATTENDED IN JULY THIS YEAR, MR ALLEYNE SAID HE WAS ESPECIALLY TOUCHED BY ONE PARTICULAR THEME WHICH READS: THE RICHNESS OF YEARS - OF EXPERIENCE, LOVE AND PAIN - ARE LOCKED INSIDE EVERY OLD PERSON AND AS MORÉ PEOPLE SURVIVE TO OLD AGE SO THE WORLD GROWS RICHER. TO TOUCH THE OLD IS TO UNLOCK THE ACCUMULATED WEALTH OF YEARS.+
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