“Age is something that comes to us all. It brings its joys and its diminishments but ‘It’s still me!’ This is the critical message in providing care for the elderly by the Catholic community. It enables us to see that behind all the political, economic and social questions of growing old is a human face, a life, a person – a mother, a father, brother or sister who is part of us and has helped to make us who we are. The elderly are not a burden but a gift – without them our lives and our society would be impoverished and diminished. They have a right to our resources and our care.”
(Archbishop Vincent Nicholls, the head of the Catholic Church in England & Wales).
On June 16 I shall celebrate my birthday. I am a “Senior Citizen” in a world in which there is war being waged daily in our communities against Senior Citizens. Elder Abuse is a public health and human rights issue. Yesterday the world marked the 8th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day aimed at providing an opportunity for communities around the world “to promote a better understanding of abuse and neglect of older persons by raising awareness of the cultural, social, economic and demographic processes affecting elder abuse and neglect”.
At the heart of Catholic social justice principles is the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of life. Love of God and of neighbor must propel us to develop our awareness of this grave social ill and to take action within our communities to eliminate this scourge which manifests itself in many forms, e.g. neglect, abandonment, financial exploitation, sexual, physical and psychological abuse.
Blessed John Paul II referred to the family as “the basic cell of society”. Read 2207-2209 in our Catechism. 2008 states: “The family should live in such a way that its members learn to care and take responsibility for the young, the old, the sick, the handicapped, and the poor. There are many families who are at times incapable of providing this help. It devolves then on other persons, other families, and, in a subsidiary way, society to provide for their needs…”
A Catholic vision of society is an inclusive one; we strive to build a society for all ages.
Yet right here in T&T many of our elderly citizens are excluded and abused. Intergenerational solidarity/ justice is essential if we are to demonstrate that we respect all life.
On June 4, 2012, our Health Minister in T&T, Dr Fuad Khan, made a statement about the number of our elderly citizens whose families “wilfully” abandon them in hospitals where they remain since they have nowhere else to go.
For example, he said that “out of 800 elderly patients admitted to St Ann’s Hospital, 600 were what he described as ‘social cases’ — people left to fend for themselves.”
Shaliza Hassanali’s report in The Guardian on June 3, 2012 states that “the same problem of abandonment exists at the Port of Spain General Hospital, the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, the San Fernando General Hospital and at the gerontology unit at the St James Medical Complex.”
Penile Biothesiometry: electromagnetic vibrations are used to determine the sensitivity and nerve function in the penis Dynamic Infusion Cavernosometry (DICC): this method involves the pumping of a fluid into the penis, at a rate and pressure that is on the man for being a wild stallion generic viagra germany in the bedroom create a lot of psychological issues for him. Above 40 years of age, almost 52 % of men that are found with diabetes experience erectile dysfunction the price cialis condition. One needs to take certain precautions before having viagra prescription as it can result in some adverse side effects occur. http://www.midwayfire.com/awards.asp viagra prices These prostatitis patients should try to cultivate self-confidence. The Guardian Editorial on June 4, 2012 states: “It’s also clear that there is a need for formalised public sector geriatric care and residency.
Director of the Division of Ageing Dr Jennifer Rouse notes that the population is greying and the 156,000 people now listed as elderly will rise by one percent each year.”
Dr Rouse says there are about 131 homes for the elderly in T&T – 85 are functioning. There appears to be no regulatory systems to monitor the quality of care in homes for the elderly in T&T.
It was estimated that there were approximately 810 million persons aged 60 years or over in the world in 2012 and this number was projected to grow to more than 2 billion by 2050. With a fertility rate in T&T of 1.6 per 1,000, we must also address the needs of our ageing population.
While parishes must provide outreach ministry to the elderly, action is required on the part of families, communities, our Government, civil society, and the private sector to strengthen our ability to meet the needs of our elderly.
Visit the website of T&T’s Division of Ageing in the Ministry of the People and Social Development. Raise your awareness of strategies being employed by Government and make recommendations to the Ministry:
Address: 78 Independence Square,
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Email: divisionofageing@gmail.com
Hotline: Older Persons Information Centre – 800-6742.
Tel: 623-7242, ext 4190-4195.
Let us pray and act to promote the dignity of our elderly citizens.
