AGE-in-Action: WESTERN PROVINCE

There are approximately 248 000 persons over the age of 65 years living in the Western Province. The majority of white elderly reside in urban areas, mostly on the south coast. Elderly living in this province are on average better educated, with a higher per capita income and live much longer than those in other provinces. Most disadvantaged older persons living in rural communities or in informal settlements, especially on farms, are poor and find it difficult to access health care.

More than 7.0% of the elderly receive a basic service, residential care or housing, or community services, which is 1% above the national norm. The majority of these services are basically used by white elderly while most of the rural areas have little or no infrastructure. Attitudes towards older persons are generally very good and family care giving is alive and well. Organisations in disadvantaged communities are finding it difficult to survive financially due to lack of managerial skills and the unavailability of resources.

Lack of funding to run sustainable projects and employ additional staff as well as direct competition from the Department of Social Development proves to be extremely challenging.

PRIORITIES

• Management training for organisations to promote cost-effectivity and accountability.
• Training of home carers and lending depots in view of the changing emphasis on community based options.
• Economic development projects in view of the need to become self-sustainable.
• Food gardens are of great value to both the elderly and their families to improve their nutritional status.
• Luncheon clubs in rural areas need to be subsidised to address the needs of disadvantaged elderly.
• To identify needy communities with no structures and resources and motivate elderly to utilise their expertise to help create structures. A volunteer programme for senior citizens will be established in all the towns in the Western Cape.

STRUCTURE

The province is serviced by the Provincial Director, eight community developers and a Secretary rendering services to clubs/service centres and organisations for the aged in the Metropole, Overberg, Southern Cape, West Coast, Boland and Karoo.

Their main activities are advice, motivation and identification of needs in order to initiate new services. The interests of the elderly are protected by addressing the problem of abuse, protection of their rights and to negotiate with local authorities on their responsibilities towards their communities.

Age-in-Action has established a place of safety for abused and destitute elderly in the old St Monica's Hospital in Cape Town as the occurrence of abuse of older people is on the increase.

CURRENT PROJECTS

• Food parcels
• Frail Care Centre
• Golden Games
• Home Based Care

• Capacity Building

TRAINING COURSES OFFERED 

• Management Training
• Financial Management
• Elder Abuse Awareness
• Older Persons Act
• HIV/Aids Awareness

• Skills Development (dependant on funding)

PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER STAKEHOLDERS 

• Western Cape Network on Disability
• NACOSA
• Department of Social Development
• Forum for Older Persons and Disabled, George, Mossel Bay and Outdtshoorn
• Southern Cape and Karoo Rehabilitation Forum
• RTC & Aids Network – Rural Transformation Company
• Diaconal Services
• Sandveld Child Welfare Society
• ACVV
• BADISA
• SA Police Services
• Primary Schools – a) Lamberts Bay Primary; b) PW de Bruin Primary
• Lamberts Bay Fishing Company
• Cederberg Municipality

• Various Churches