Growing number of elderly in care homes raises concern

Parental care during their old age remains the responsibility of children and should not lead to the elderly being stranded on streets without a home.

Elderly persons are increasing in age care homes around the country reflecting how poorly children care for their parents and loved ones.

Selina Kuruleca said these increasing numbers were concerning because Fiji was a tightly knit community.

The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection acting permanent secretary said despite the age gaps and generational differing mindset, every child had to ensure their parents and loved ones were well fed and clothed.

To counter this negligence ministry teams have actively increased their presence in major towns and cities to help street dwellers, particularly the elderly find a place to call home.

“We have seen elderly persons left to fend for themselves, trying to sleep in bus stops or spaces which are open to access like on a Sunday,” she said.

The Suva-Nausori corridor has been identified as being the worst affected while the Western Division had cases of elderly persons left to fend for themselves.

Catholic-based organisations such as Saint Vincent de Paul shelters are where the elderly individuals had a shower, ate and reconnected on their identity.

“When spaces are limited at Saint Vincent de Paul, we take them to Colonial War Memorial (CWM) Hospital and Saint Giles Hospital or age care homes,” Ms Kuruleca said.

To address the over-crowding issue at their age-care home in Sambula, Suva, the ministryhad identified some vacancies of beds available to cater for new residents at the Labasa Golden Age Home.

“The age home in Sambula is full to the maximum, so we are trying to ascertain where some in need elderly persons can be transferred to Labasa,” she said.

Ms Kuruleca visited the Labasa Golden Age Home on Thursday and confirmed renovations at the home were completed with some minor defects fixed.

“Additional upgrades are planned for in the next budget,” she said.

The age-care home in Labasa requires flooring stability with the floors made up of wooden planks, Ms Kuruleca, said they continue to work with the Ministry of Infrastructure to assess and address this.

NGO food drives

Non-Government Organisation (NGO), Voice of the Nation, had engaged in many food drives in the Central Division and Northern Division to help feed the vulnerable street dwellers of their hunger.

Group vice-president, Ihtishaan Emmanuel Shah, supported the effort of the ministry to ensure all elderly persons were housed at recovery or age homes rather than stranded on our streets.

The group conducts food drives during the first three months of the year.