Senior citizens deserve more respect so that they can live a dignified life, said the Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Rosy Akbar.

It was her Christmas wish yesterday when she visited residents of Golden Age Home in Lautoka.

She made the comment because of incidents when family members claim the body of their relative who had been living at residential homes to perform the final rites.

She questioned the love and care for senior citizens who had been placed in State care homes.

“What is more shocking is the fact that when one of the residents passes away, it is the family who want to claim the body and perform the final rites,” Ms Akbar said.

“Family members should take care of their elderly when they are alive and not when they die. Why would families want to wait until a member passes away?

“That is my concern. Of course families will have the first right, but the plea here is for them to come and take them home and look after them so that they can die in dignity as well.

“If I can’t look after my parents and I put them in a home and when they pass away, I want to come and do the final rites. Aren’t I a hypocrite?

“It is my plea to those families to take their parents, grandparents and relatives home so that they can be re-united with other members. It is a simple plea to the families. “We know you are out there, and we know that you know that your relatives are here.

“Do the right thing,” she said.