LEBANON: Seniors Face Twilight Years Without State Help

An aging population means the issue cannot be ignored BEIRUT (Daily Star), June 29, 2004: Senior citizenship is an international idea, yet it remains an alien one to Lebanese society. "In all the countries of the world, people whose age has reached a certain point, generally 64 or 65, are treated as senior citizens," said Azzam Houri, chairman of Dar al-Ajaza al-Islamiya, one of 40 local residential institutions known as elderly homes. Being a senior citizen, Houri said, meant enjoying certain privileges like complete medical coverage, discounts on public and private transportation fees, tax reductions and cultural entertainment packages. "In this country, however, there isn't a single law regarding the status of aging people," Houri said, "not only are the elderly not treated as 'senior citizens,' but they are often deprived of their basic rights as citizens and 'thrown away' in some home for the aged." Old people, he said, are simply forgotten. In 1997, Houri explained, a national committee for the elderly was established. A study of old people's status in Lebanon is planned in an attempt to improve some of the long-lost dignity of the aged. Up till now, Houri said, the committee's work has been satisfactory, although, he said, "more than a lot still needs to be done." The committee's most recent and important achievement, he said, was the inauguration of 33 "clubs" for elderly people in 2003 in various areas all over Lebanon. These clubs, he said, were more like elderly day care centers where old people come in to spend the day and then go back home to their family in the evening. According to Houri, there are currently 40 residential institutions for the elderly, with some 3,200 beds all told. "Among these, only two are private, none are governmental, while the rest are all (owned and run by) nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)," Houri said, adding that the government still had to come out with a proper insurance plan for the elderly. "Free and full medical coverage among the elderly for instance, is only given to those who were governmental employees," Houri said, "which only constitutes a minor portion of the population." Maha Abu Chawareb, chairperson of Foyer Saint Georges, another NGO residential home for the elderly, told The Daily Star the Health Ministry granted each residential home for the aged a mere LL15,600 per day per resident, while the Social Affairs Ministry granted some LL4,100. "But in our center, for instance, it takes us some LL53,000 per day to properly care for an old person, be it regarding his or her hygiene, meals, entertainment activities ... etc." "Of course," she said, "if one of our residents falls ill or has to undergo surgery, we also incur the entire expenses." "The Health Ministry allocated a certain number of beds in every hospital for elderly patients," Abu Chawareb said, "but most of the time, these beds are fully occupied, and since an elderly person's admission to hospital is usually urgent, we take it upon ourselves to pay the expenses." Furthermore, she said, even though the Health Ministry "theoretically" provides the residential elderly homes with "free" or "discounted" medication, "most of the chronic diseases medications we need for our residents are seldom available." Neemat Kanaan, general director at the Social Affairs Ministry, told The Daily Star that "the government was not supposed to have residential institutions for the elderly." It was the duty of NGOs, she said, to ensure a proper living for the country's elderly. "Such organizations have the proper infrastructure to do it," Kanaan said, "and by helping the elderly in having a decent life, they will also be helping their government by relieving it of another economic burden." In a press conference regarding "how to provide the elderly with the proper governmental and social support," Social Affairs Minister Asaad Diab said "the nongovernmental sector should be the government's first and most faithful ally in providing the elderly with the quality of life they deserve." Diab pointed out recent statistics showed Lebanese society's age demographic was dramatically changing, featuring many more aging people than ever before. "If we don't work together as public, private and nongovernmental institutions to face this challenge, then this situation will soon become a serious threat for our society," Diab said. "That's why it is imperative to provide an improved quality of life for our elderly." Representing Mufti Mohammed Rashid Qabbani, Sheikh Marwan Qabbani highlighted the importance of providing elderly people with love and affection. "An old person should never be looked at as a burden," Qabbani said, "They should be cherished and respected above all." By Jessy Chahine Senior Writer THE DAILY STAR Copyright (c) 2005