The Director of the Family Development Department at the Ministry of Community Development, Alia Al-Joker, outlined the Ministry of Community Development’s plan to stimulate the energies of senior citizens mentally and physically with 5 sustainable programs that are implemented by organizing a group of events that are held annually throughout the year, noting that the number of participants in these programs reached last year 2021 to 8 thousand and 241 elderly.
The Joker’s statement came in response to a question by “Emirates Today” following the newspaper’s review of statistical reports indicating that there is a high percentage of elderly people who lead their lives normally and enjoy good and stable health, even though they are in an age group over 80 years.
Al Joker said that the Ministry of Community Development organizes, throughout the year, in a sustainable manner, a set of social, health, technical and recreational activities within the implementation of 5 major, well-studied and interactive programmes, aimed at stimulating the mental, cognitive and physical state of senior citizens as well as contributing to their integration with all societal groups. And she added that the elderly need to participate in easy, direct, fun and attractive activities at the same time, in order to succeed in encouraging them to continue to participate in them, noting that the number of participants benefiting from the activities and workshops organized within the framework of implementing these programs reached 8 last year 2021. Thousands and 241 elderly.
The Joker dealt with the programs that include Barakat Al-Dar Program “My Experience”, the 60 Tech Program, the 50 Youth Program, the Weqaya Program, in addition to the After You Youth Program.
According to Al-Joker, the Barakat Al-Dar program is based on organizing meetings to be held in neighborhood councils, in which senior citizens are given the opportunity to transfer their experiences, especially their knowledge of the details of the popular heritage, to the younger generations through direct communication with them.
As for the 60Tech program, it focuses on organizing training workshops targeting senior citizens, concerned with educating and educating them on the correct and safe ways to use technical and home devices, with the aim of enhancing their self-confidence and establishing a culture of self-reliance in meeting daily needs.
Al-Joker referred to the 50 Youth Program, which proactively paves the way for the stage before joining the elderly category, as it is an awareness program targeting retirees of the age group at the age of 50 or those in charge of retirement. She added that the program works to educate them on the correct ways to adapt to the transitional period, by monitoring and evaluating their talents and helping them invest them in pursuing an active lifestyle that responds positively to the life changes associated with retirement.
As for the “After You Youth” programme, Al Joker said that it includes programs of competitions and popular games that are organized in sports clubs and social development centers “customer happiness centers” to entertain senior citizens in a competitive heritage atmosphere that stimulates thinking and motor activity.
Al-Joker also pointed out the importance of the “prevention” program, which includes a series of awareness programs on methods of health and psychological care and public morals in dealing with senior citizens within the family, as well as training the elderly themselves on methods of proper care for themselves.
Al-Joker considered that the Ministry’s keenness to rehabilitate caregivers for senior citizens contributes to a large extent in supporting efforts to maintain a stable health and psychological condition among senior citizens. She added that the Ministry is committed annually to organizing a set of training courses for children’s caregivers, as well as those in charge of caring for senior citizens, with the aim of ensuring their knowledge of the correct methods of care and protection at home.
