Keeping the elderly in mind

Feb 28, 2016 News

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By Sharmain Grainger
“The future of a nation lies in the youths of today” is a notion to which many people subscribe. But it was only recently I came across an interesting quote that really summed up the important role the older folks

have in helping to truly shape our society.
The quote (sourced at brainyquote.com) simply reads, “The wisdom and experience of older people is a resource of inestimable worth. Recognizing and treasuring the contributions of older people is essential to the long-term flourishing of any society”.
You might have seen this quote before. However, when I saw it for the first time, it definitely touched a nerve and caused me to consider that all too often it is the youths that are factored into the talks about the future. The emphasis is always that the youths are the future and must be groomed for the role they must eventually take up – the development of the nation.
And I dare say that even some of the older folks, too, believe that the future belongs to the youths and more attention should be focused on them.
This may be true in some cases, but given the fact that more of our old folks are living longer and healthier lives, even outliving some of our youths, efforts should be directed to them, too, to continue a task they have already started.
It could be deduced that Guyana has already embraced this notion. Just take a look at the David Granger-led administration.
But my intent is not to look at the workforce, but rather, the fact that our elders are sticking around much longer. Although some struggle with chronic Non Communicable Diseases and other health challenges, it would seem that they definitely manage to keep going, complete with faculties intact.
Guyana’s life expectancy rate averages about 70 years. It has been recognised that globally the life expectancy rate has increased and Government, understandably, has been paying close attention to this state of affairs.
Minister within the Ministry of Public Health, Dr. Karen Cummings, at a recent stakeholders’ forum underscored that while her Ministry’s goal is to provide the best quality health care possible to all Guyanese, the elderly, like any other group, are being catered for in the strategic plans of the Ministry.  And this tactic is being embraced, she noted, as the Ministry continues to reform and enhance its healthcare delivery services.
But the Ministry will have to pay even closer attention to staffing capabilities in order to deliver tangible, best quality health care to our elders, Minister Cummings has observed. She has therefore stressed the need for trained staff to be able to competently cater to the health care needs of the elderly.
“Health care of the elderly is integrated within the elements of primary health care in Guyana. However, I do believe we need to address, strategically, the provision of appropriate means and facilities of enhancing the training of health care workers operating in the health centres so that they can deal competently, efficiently, and compassionately with the elderly,” the Minister declared at the stakeholders’ forum.
But catering effectively to the elderly is not something that the Public Health Ministry can do in isolation. As such, the Ministry has been reaching out to various individuals and organisations to help advance its care for the elderly goal.
At the aforementioned forum there were representations from the Ministries of Social Protection and Indigenous People’s Affairs and a number of geriatric homes and other like-minded organizations.
The need for collaboration has been emphasised by the Pan American Health Organisation/World Health Organisation (PAHO/WHO), which provides technical and other health-related support to the Ministry.
Speaking to this issue of the need for collaboration was PAHO/WHO Representative Dr. Jean Seme Fils Alexandre who attended the forum. Dr. Alexandre pointed out that “it is absolutely imperative that all agencies and organisations plan and develop effective programmes to deal with the rapidly expanding, aging population.”
And PAHO/WHO has not only committed assistance, but has lauded moves already initiated by the Public Health Ministry to establish a Focal Unit to deal specifically with elderly health care.
In the quest to improve health care for the elderly population, the Ministry has been seeking to be efficient in identifying early health risks and detecting diseases, according to Minister Cummings.
She has acknowledged that “Timely intervention and prevention of complications, in a multi-disciplinary approach under best quality primary care settings will be the result of establishing best practices in elderly health care services.”
PAHO/WHO is an ideal partner to advance the efforts at preparing health workers for the proper care of the elderly and this has been encapsulated in its ‘Health care for the elderly: a manual for primary health care workers’.
A summary of the publication outlines that “the increase in ageing populations around the world has brought new focus to the particular health need of the elderly,” thus it is imperative for health care workers to be equipped with necessary skills and knowledge if they are to take seriously, the task of caring for our elders, who continue to play a very vital role in our society.

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