No Care For The Elderly

An Open Letter to the Minister of Health and Social Services IF the measure of a man is determined by the way he treats his elders, then what kind of example are you? Are you aware that many elderly persons were left stranded at the registration point on Wednesday morning after being dropped off there by their families at the crack of dawn? At 08h15 three persons from the Ministry arrived to inform the people that the venue had been changed to the Katutura Old Age Home.

Heaven knows how many persons were dropped off during the course of the day only to find the doors closed. It is a fact that many elderly citizens cannot read, but their children and grandchildren can.Would it really have been so difficult to send a notification BY POST giving the dates and the venues so that pensioners and their families do not queue for hours only to be told to go somewhere else.Do you have any idea of what is happening at the pensioners’ re-registration venues? I guess not.What will it take for the Ministry to do something about improving the conditions under which the elderly have to re-register? Do a few of the elderly persons have to die in the queue before something is done? If re-registration is to be an annual event, then organise it properly.Many pensioners cannot afford TVs, newspapers even radios on the State pension.(I challenge any of the Ministers of this country to survive a day, let alone a month, on the State pension).The Ministry has all the details on your computers – let the old people know BY POST where and when to register.If you care at all you will see to it that there is: Adequate seating for the long wait; Shelter from the elements.Are your facilities prepared for the influx of sick persons from being drenched by the rain? When it comes to ELECTIONS then arrangements are made for school halls etc, but when it comes to the people who were good enough to raise you when you were a child and the nation’s children while their parents work, then you don’t give a darn.Toilet facilities.Elderly persons need this more frequently than the younger generation.Would you like your mother to squat just anywhere because three to four hours is more than she can wait? But then, I forgot, your parents were the ones who were driven to the door and attended to immediately.Transport.If you change the venue, then have the decency to provide buses to take the people to the new venue.If you consider yourself a leader and worthy of your office as Minister, then see to it that the senior citizens of this country are treated with the consideration and respect due to them.After all, the youth may be the leaders of tomorrow, but what kind of example are you setting them, besides it was the senior citizens who helped get you where you are and are helping the nation by raising the leaders of tomorrow while their parents work.Incidentally, did you know that the attribute of a good leader is that he/she is a servant to the people? I challenge you to be a leader worthy of the position to which you have been entrusted.Pensioner Windhoek Note: Name and address provided – EdIt is a fact that many elderly citizens cannot read, but their children and grandchildren can.Would it really have been so difficult to send a notification BY POST giving the dates and the venues so that pensioners and their families do not queue for hours only to be told to go somewhere else.Do you have any idea of what is happening at the pensioners’ re-registration venues? I guess not.What will it take for the Ministry to do something about improving the conditions under which the elderly have to re-register? Do a few of the elderly persons have to die in the queue before something is done? If re-registration is to be an annual event, then organise it properly.Many pensioners cannot afford TVs, newspapers even radios on the State pension.(I challenge any of the Ministers of this country to survive a day, let alone a month, on the State pension).The Ministry has all the details on your computers – let the old people know BY POST where and when to register.If you care at all you will see to it that there is: Adequate seating for the long wait; Shelter from the elements.Are your facilities prepared for the influx of sick persons from being drenched by the rain? When it comes to ELECTIONS then arrangements are made for school halls etc, but when it comes to the people who were good enough to raise you when you were a child and the nation’s children while their parents work, then you don’t give a darn.Toilet facilities.Elderly persons need this more frequently than the younger generation.Would you like your mother to squat just anywhere because three to four hours is more than she can wait? But then, I forgot, your parents were the ones who were driven to the door and attended to immediately.Transport.If you change the venue, then have the decency to provide buses to take the people to the new venue.If you consider yourself a leader and worthy of your office as Minister, then see to it that the senior citizens of this country are treated with the consideration and respect due to them.After all, the youth may be the leaders of tomorrow, but what kind of example are you setting them, besides it was the senior citizens who helped get you where you are and are helping the nation by raising the leaders of tomorrow while their parents work.Incidentally, did you know that the attribute of a good leader is that he/she is a servant to the people? I challenge you to be a leader worthy of the position to which you have been entrusted.Pensioner Windhoek Note: Name and address provided – Ed