For sometime now Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Rosy Akbar has been saying that we should not put our elderly into age-care facilities.

Not long ago we took care of our elderly in our homes until they die.

Many still do, but there is a growing number of families now who regard putting their elderly in age-care facilities a strong alternative. They do it because they do not have the capacity to look after them because of their busy schedules.

Government’s assistance to these centres helps defray costs and makes the option attractive.

But nothing beats the care and love at home in the hands of family members.

But for those who need constant  medical care they need to be close to medical centres in case of medical emergencies.

Everything needs to be done to ensure that our elderly are treated with respect, dignity and love. Some prefer to live at home, rather than age care centres because that’s where they are the happiest.

They like to be close to their loved ones and participate in family activities even though the age care facilities may offer better living standards. It’s about their emotional wellbeing.

Ms Akbar was referring to this when she encouraged people to look after their elderly at home.

Those who are placed in age care centres despite their opposition to it usually suffer in silence.

Their emotional agony is exacerbated when they are virtually forgotten and rarely visited by their immediate family members.

Ms Akbar has reminded all of us that looking after our elderly is our moral responsibility, not the State’s  or anyone else’s.

One day we will also enter that zone in our twilight years and we hope we will be treated with respect and dignity and enjoy the rest of our time in this life.

Police cleanup truly underway

It’s now increasingly clear that the cleanup in the Police Force is truly underway.

The investigations into the conduct of two Policemen who allegedly solicited money from a New Zealand couple who were driving without carrying their driving licences. Commissioner of Police Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho has ordered the investigations be carried immediately.

He has no tolerance for Policemen and Policewomen who fail to uphold the standards and integrity of the force.

Since he joined the force he has set a course to restore the credibility and integrity of the forced damaged by some shocking events internally.

Take for example the former officer in charge of Taveuni Police Station.

He has been jailed for 12 years for raping a junior Policewoman and indecently annoying two others. He had abused his power to commit this heinous crime.

Brigadier-General Qiliho deserves recognition for cleaning up the force. It will help restore public confidence in it.

NEMANI DELAIBATIKI

Feedback:  nemani.delaibatiki@fijisun.com.fj