Friday, March 29, 2024 | Ramadan 18, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

Alternative family plan to protect elderly population

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MUSCAT: When the world is celebrating the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons on October 1, the Sultanate of Oman takes pride in taking care of its elderly population with a range of programmes meant for them. Some new programmes are in the pipeline to take care of the senior citizens. Among them are alternative family programmes for the elderly who do not have relatives. Under this programme, they will be brought into the mainstream of society to ensure their participation in events and activities suiting their taste and temperament.


Speaking to the Observer, Safia Mohammed al Omairey (pictured), Director of Elderly Affairs Department, Ministry of Social Development, said, “We have several services for the elderly. They include disbursement of the social security pension in the absence of income or income providers.”


She said that the financial and in-kind assistance for special and emergency cases, including the elderly who are sick, have always been very useful.


The Social Care Home in Rustaq, which houses the infirm people and those without relatives, meets all the life and social needs of the elderly. The Home Care Programme for the Elderly, which is a joint programme of the Ministries of Health and Social Development, envisages providing all possible services for the elderly at his/her place of residence so that the health and social service reach their home. There are permanent residents and temporarily sheltered inmates. The home does not currently offer daycare alone. The inmates include 35 men and 10 women.


The senior citizens account for six per cent of Oman’s population at 145,450. Out of these 75, 265 are women and men 70, 194. Their population is expected to grow at a rate of 9 per cent by 2040.


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