Let us take care of older people in our society

 Let us take care of older people in our society

On 14th December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly designated October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons (resolution 45/106). The New York commemoration of the United Nations International Day of Older Persons 2022 highlight was “The Resilience and Contributions of Older Women” in successfully navigating today's myriad of global challenges.In Kenya this day ended quietly.This was preceded by initiatives such as the Vienna lnternational Plan of Action on Ageing, which was adopted by the 1982 World Assembly on Ageing and endorsed later that year by the UN General Assembly.
In 1991, the General Assembly adopted the United Nations Principles for Older Persons ( resolution 46/91).In 2002, the Second World Assembly on Ageing adopted the Madrid lnternational Plan of Action on Ageing​ to respond to the opportunities and challenges of population ageing in the 21st century and to promote the development of a society for all ages.
The composition of the world population has changed dramatically in recent decades. Between 1950 and 2010, life expectancy worldwide rose from 46 to 68 years. Globally, there were 703 million persons aged 65 or over in 2019. The region of Eastern and South-Eastern Asia was home to the largest number of older persons (261 million), followed by Europe and Northern America (over 200 million).
Over the next three decades, the number of older persons worldwide is projected to more than double, reaching more than 1.5 billion persons in 2050. All regions will see an increase in the size of the older population between 2019 and 2050.By 2020, the number of people aged 60 years and older will outnumber children younger than 5 years.
Over the next three decades, the number of older persons worldwide is projected to more than double, reaching more than 1.5 billion persons in 2050 and 80% of them will be living in low- and middle-income countries.
Years back there was an estimate of age expectancy in Kenya at around 55 years.But with modern hospitals,medicines and new technology age expectancy has risen and it is now 70 years of age.There are many old people in the rural areas who are aged and some leave alone and have no one to look upto them.ln towns there are also many aged people.There are very few homes for the aged in Kenya.They include Akiniita Foundation,Thogoto home for the aged,Nyumba ya wazee,Harrison House Retirement Home,Kasarani home for the elderly,Karen Brookdale retirement home,ElimerCare and Little sisters of the poor.
How many people retire every year? How many don't have families?ln Mombasa County the two homes which cater for the aged, Little sisters of
the poor run by the Catholic church of Mombasa and a home run by Mombasa County,Nyumba ya wazee both in Tudor are​ just a drop in the ocean considering the old people in the County who need help.These homes have been in existence for over 50 years.How many people take their time to visit these homes?How many can take care of them in terms of food or good grooming? Old people need to be taken cared of because one day we will become old like them.Majority of beggars in the streets are old people.It is a high time a day for the aged be set aside in Kenya to take care of the aged in rural and in towns.A story is told how an old person visited his children and he kept breaking the plates.So the son decided to make a wooden plate for the father.The next day he found his younger son shaping another wooden plate and when asked he told his father that he is shaping a plate for him in preparation when he becomes old and that is the plate he will be serving him.This changed his attitude.Let us treat the aged well as that is how we will be treated. How we treat the aged determine our society.It is humiliating to find an old person still working or going around picking bottles for a living.ln Kenya we don't have a plan for living after retirement.Some of the people who retire die very quickly which is very sad.ln Kilifi County old men and women ran away from their homes as a result of fear of getting killed because of their wealth.Let Kenyans love old people and continue helping and loving them
By
Veronica onjoro
DIRECTOR CARREER ORGANISATION
onjoroveronica@yahoo.com

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