Maduako Igbokwe I Monday, Sept. 11, 2023
AWKA, Anambra – A non-governmental organisation, First Best Domiciliary Home Care World, has initiated programme to take care of aged persons in Anambra state who have been abandoned by their children in the state .
Speaking at the launch of the programme, a United States of America based clinical psychologist, Prof Kanayo Ofodile described old age as a death sentence in Nigeria.
According to him, many children had abandoned their aged parents without care and compassion in the country.
He said: “I reside in a civilised countries, U.S to be precise, and we see and learn how they care so much about old people. People who are vulnerable and cannot cater for themselves anymore.
“But it is a sad situation in our country. It looks like old age is a death sentence in our society. Children abandon their aged parents and relatives without care. Many aged persons are homeless, abandoned, lonely, unhealthy and unkempt, hence, the establishment of this organisation. There is the need to start prioritising care for the elderly.
“We will be going round the state to pick up and cater for abandoned aged persons and our trained social officers will be going to give home care to those who crave for such services. We will be applying spirituality, clinical formulation and reasoning to improve the lives of the aged. Our society should not abandon the elderly, they are still very relevant.”
Ofodile called for a re-orientation of the younger generation on the need to see the care of the elderly as an obligation.
In his speech, Mr Ikemefuna Nwafor, Chairman of the event, said that the programme was aimed at setting a template on what should happen to the aged segment of the population.
“It is sad that the aged in civilised countries aged gracefully and successfully while their counterparts in Nigeria are ageing in abandonment and frustration. Old age is a stage of life that we will all get to. It does not take a century to get there, it is just a matter of time. So, we need to plan and prepare to do better in taking care of the elderly in our society, ”
‘First Domiciliary home care world’ as the name implies is the first of its kind in our clime dedicated to the care of Geriatrics or the senile old in our society. I will freely refer to them here as FIRST CARE.
“Available statistics shows that the geriatrics are increasingly without adequate care where they exist and sometimes completely without care and attention in the developing countries. The consequence is the unimaginable assault on the mental and physical health of the aged, gross reduction in our life expectancy and young people that will be left without parental care at their young adult age.
“The developed countries like the United States of America, Canada and United Kingdom have carefully documented the statistics as it affects the geriatrics. These demonstrates the importance of taking care of the senile old in any decent society. The United States expects the 65+ to grow from 16% in 2019 to 21.6% by 2040. The 85+ is projected to more than double from 6.6million in 2019 to14.4m by 2040 (increase of 118%) and that sets the alarm of preparing to cater for the old and informs on the gains of previous efforts on the geriatrics.
“Nobody wants to die once cared for but the desire to quickly exit is activated by the absence of adequate care. We must therefore care for the old. Conversation is gradually shifting from simply ageing to successful ageing in developed societies.
“About 6.9% of the aged and 2.2% of the oldest are classified as ageing successfully in any year in the United States” he said.
He said that the FIRST CARE will be introducing into our Domiciliary care experience trained and professional care givers akin to what’s obtainable in the western world.
According to him, customised training will be top notch with unmatched response time designed to minister to our local terrain. He said the most common health conditions in the aged are noncommunicable diseases.
“FIRST CARE in partnership and relationship with approved and accredited health institutions will offer unique attention that caters for health of the geriatrics and the senile old.
“Part of the uniqueness of FIRST CARE is the availability of Holiday and Relaxation hubs. Geriatrics will be made to periodically spend fitness and relaxation time away from traditional habitat. FIRST CARE will be available to do the movement. This, however, will be for a brief period before they are returned to their traditional homes.
“FIRST CARE will hopefully offer our people scattered across the globe the relaxed nerves (aware that some people somewhere at home are taking care of their aged parents in the traditional/natural home) to excel in their businesses and careers. With homes/centers fitted with 360’ solar powered cameras and programmed for real time viewing the conditions of the geriatrics will offer joy to children and sponsors as they walk through their last bus stops of life with gladness.
“FIRST CARE is here, first care is primed to change the aging dynamics in our environment. The ritual of multiple burials every weekend must be reduced, life expectancy of 57.75yrs (2023) must increase and the Society must be happier” he stated.
Mr Ekene Mbah, Director, Care Services of the NGO, said that over 80 per cent of the elderly in the society lack good domestic care and spend their old age through pains due to negligence and lack of caregivers.
Mbah said that the organisation would be saddled with a new approach of taking care to the homes of the aged to cater for their needs and improve their lives. He urged the state government and well-meaning individuals to support the organisation in its mission.
“Owing to the nature of this care-giving services, we appeal for support in the area of ambulance for emergency and utility vehicles for movement of social officials across the state.
“We also need a mini bus for strolling with aged persons as part of their fun experiences and a piece of land to build a geriatric Home Centre for training of caregivers, for relaxation and home to homeless aged persons” he stated.
In his remarks, Igwe Emeka Ilouno of Ifitedunu, said that the elderly needed care and company as loneliness and depression kill them faster. “This is a laudable project and we promise that our communities will work with you because we want our people to age gracefully, fulfilled and live longer, ” he said.
