Fatimah urges NGOs to organise beneficial programmes for senior citizens

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Fatimah accompanied by Chua visiting the facilities at the society premises, while Harden (right) and others looked on.

KUCHING (Mar 26): Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are encouraged to organise programmes that will benefit senior citizens as Malaysia heads towards an aging nation, said Welfare, Community Wellbeing, Women, Family and Childhood Development Minister Dato Sri Fatimah Abdullah.

“A very exemplary programme is to have focus on memory to ensure that the elderly’s memory does not deteriorate.

“This is where they are able to experience all sorts of sensations and exposure that ensure their memory is active and that memory loss rate can be slowed down,” she said during a working visit to Happy Longevity Welfare Society at Jalan Sungai Maong Tengah here.

Fatimah commended the society for its programmes that focus not only on providing quality care but also on memory.

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“I have visited quite a few centres, but this is the first time I hear about a centre that consciously emphasises memory in your programmes.

“You are on the right path, and if you could document your success story and how you do it, it could be shared with other care centres for senior citizens. We hope senior citizens in Sarawak can enjoy an aging process that is of quality, dignified, healthy and happy,” she said.

Fatimah said that the ministry encourages more programmes that are beneficial to this particular target group.

“When it comes to the elderly, it is very close to our hearts because we remember the sacrifices of our parents who gave birth, educated and raised us. Elderly people should be given special treatment and care as they have given to their children.

“Our country is also heading towards an aging nation where it is estimated that the number of senior citizens aged 60 and above is 3.3 million. This is an increase of 57 per cent compared to the beginning of 2000,” she said.

Fatimah also encouraged the society to register with Registrar of Societies so that they could have access to government grants distributed via the State Social Welfare Department.

“What is important is that once you are registered, we can help out with activity grants. That would help a lot.

“The government wants to acknowledge the good work that is done by the NGOs and that’s why government provides grants to empower the NGOs,” she said.

Also present were Assistant Minister of Community Welfare Datuk Francis Harden Hollis, Happy Longevity Welfare Society president Annie Chua, and others.