Senior Citizens aged above 60 years will receive free medical assistance (wheelchair, hearing aids, medical shoes etc) from now on. They will receive their requirement from the State Welfare Organization (SWO) at no cost.
As reported by IRNA, deputy of the rehabilitation center of the SWO, Yahya Sokhangoie, in a gathering with the senior citizens union, declared that the organization is in the process of completing its information data base and bank. This will enable the SWO to deliver its services to the needy seniors." Medical hardware such as hearing aids, spectacles, wheelchair and special shoes etc. as required by senior citizens shall be provided to them free of cost as a gesture of respect, honor and appreciation," he said.
All seniors aged 60 years and above must refer to the nearest SWO center to complete the inventory list and to register and be added to the organization's information bank.
Senior citizens constitute 8% of the population he noted, and said "there has not been much of preparatory planning for our aging population, which is why it's believed to have tremendous challenges in the future, posing serious difficulties."
Supervision
The official further said there are currently about 20,000 elderly people who are being supervised in the day or night care centers covered by the organization's protection services.
" SWO has commissioned a rehabilitation center for those suffering from vision problems. The good news is that applicants who meet the criteria will receive prompt service if they are registered in the respective section of the organization's website. Once the formalities are completed, they will be added to the data base, enabling them to encash their medical bills," he added.
He said the SWO has implemented a family support scheme in the past two years, and has been paying the cost of senior citizens' home care to their children. The amount equals to almost $40. The care for seniors in home environment has been designed and implemented to avoid separation of elders from their families. The organization partly helps the families with financial support.
Home Care
For seniors whose children are incapable of taking care of them at home, social workers are sent to their recidence to assist.
He emphasized that "we must strongly discourage the spread of dishonoring our elders and not allow them to be pushed into isolation. We must preserve the honor and respect of our senior citizens at any cost and strive to build a healthy, harmonious society with our elders besides us."
The government in its annual budget for the task allocated $ 5.8 million last year, which was used for procurement of the required medical aids and equipment. This amount has been increased to $ 6 million in the first quarter of the year, he said.
