'Sponsors needed to help elderly'
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
A VOLUNTEER who helps care for Brunei's elderly said they need help from the private sector to be able to take better care of their charges.
Hj Hasbollah Hj Awang Damit, a volunteer on the home care project under the Community Development Department (Japem), expressed the volunteers' hope of getting sponsorships from private agencies in ensuring better living conditions for the elderly under their care.
Hj Hasbollah, who is one of the senior volunteers from the Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah foundation (Yayasan), reported some of the limitations encountered by volunteers during the Republic of Korea-Asean Meeting on Home Care for Older Persons yesterday at Rizqun International Hotel.
It was revealed that there are 18,063 senior citizens in the country over the age of 60. The figure is expected to increase to 35,000 by 2021.
Out of this number, less than 10 of the elderly live alone, while the rest live with family members or receive visits from their family every now and then.
In improving the living conditions of a 68-year-old elderly charge, who is both visually- and hearing-impaired, as well as physically-challenged, Hj Hasbollah and two other Yayasan volunteers revealed that sponsorship was not provided in terms of providing raw materials such as wood.
Hj Hasbollah also said that volunteers also extend financial support to their charges.
Also, volunteer work can only be done during a specific and limited duration of time since most of them work during the day, said Hj Hasbollah.
It was further disclosed during the meeting that some of the client's family members do not welcome and have expressed their discomfort about accepting help from volunteers in helping caring for elderly family members.
Implementation of the project by the Yayasan volunteers began in September last year, and since then, senior volunteers have helped improve the quality of life of their elderly client by making frequent visits, making repairs to his living quarters, helping in the cleaning and giving alms.
"Every now and then, volunteers also closely monitor the whole living condition and (the client's) general state," said Hj Hasbollah.
"This project has brought about significant differences to the sorry state initially experienced by the client."
Hj Hasbollah expressed the volunteers' hope for sponsorship in the near future in building a proper bathroom and providing basic necessities to their elderly client.
The Brunei Times
Hj Hasbollah Hj Awang Damit, a volunteer on the home care project under the Community Development Department (Japem), expressed the volunteers' hope of getting sponsorships from private agencies in ensuring better living conditions for the elderly under their care.
Hj Hasbollah, who is one of the senior volunteers from the Sultan Hj Hassanal Bolkiah foundation (Yayasan), reported some of the limitations encountered by volunteers during the Republic of Korea-Asean Meeting on Home Care for Older Persons yesterday at Rizqun International Hotel.
It was revealed that there are 18,063 senior citizens in the country over the age of 60. The figure is expected to increase to 35,000 by 2021.
Out of this number, less than 10 of the elderly live alone, while the rest live with family members or receive visits from their family every now and then.
In improving the living conditions of a 68-year-old elderly charge, who is both visually- and hearing-impaired, as well as physically-challenged, Hj Hasbollah and two other Yayasan volunteers revealed that sponsorship was not provided in terms of providing raw materials such as wood.
Hj Hasbollah also said that volunteers also extend financial support to their charges.
Also, volunteer work can only be done during a specific and limited duration of time since most of them work during the day, said Hj Hasbollah.
It was further disclosed during the meeting that some of the client's family members do not welcome and have expressed their discomfort about accepting help from volunteers in helping caring for elderly family members.
Implementation of the project by the Yayasan volunteers began in September last year, and since then, senior volunteers have helped improve the quality of life of their elderly client by making frequent visits, making repairs to his living quarters, helping in the cleaning and giving alms.
"Every now and then, volunteers also closely monitor the whole living condition and (the client's) general state," said Hj Hasbollah.
"This project has brought about significant differences to the sorry state initially experienced by the client."
Hj Hasbollah expressed the volunteers' hope for sponsorship in the near future in building a proper bathroom and providing basic necessities to their elderly client.
The Brunei Times
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