Day care centers and more advocacies are among initiatives the Dominica Council on Aging (DCOA) says it will be targeting for the elderly on the island.
President of the DCOA Evander Joseph says some older persons have complained about being bored.
He says the DCOA will be working towards curbing the issues affecting the elderly in Dominica.
“We need day care centers where the elderly can meet and socialize with each other because we know boredom is a disease. There are people who have died because of loneliness. We cannot eradicate all the problems affecting older people but we can curb the problems,” he said.
Joseph also gave kudos to government for several initiatives which he said are beneficial to the elderly on the island.
We also need good pedestrian walks (pavements) that the elderly can naviagate in order to walk and stay active and fit. The Roseau sidewalks are obstacle courses that the elderly dare not negotiate, and they have to compete with vehicles for rest of the road.
Good idea mr joseph we do need daycare centers for the elderly, but we also need energetic and creative people to run these centers.
A way to do that can also be at young people ‘adopt a grandparent’ whereby they visit the elderly and so some activity with them.