BAHRAIN: Better homes for elderly soon

DUBAI, UAE (Khaleej Times), April 1, 2008: By Suad Hamada (BAHRAIN BEAT) SMALL elderly homes would be established within residential areas in all governorates of Bahrain. The Minister of Social Development Dr Fatima Al Baloushi said the homes would be equipped with the needed tools to make the lives of the elderly more productive and happy. “The project would enable the elderly to feel that they are still attached to their living atmospheres and not isolated as their friends and neighbours can visit them,” she said. The project would start with the establishment of the homes in Um Al Hassam, Buri and Muharraq and then in Central and Southern governorates in association with NGOs and the private sector. The government has been holding awareness campaigns, workshops, honouring ceremonies and interviews as part of a comprehensive programme to highlight the importance of supporting the elderly. The government has committed itself to providing senior citizens with health, social, psychological, residential and recreational care. "We are keen to encourage senior citizens to be productive and less isolated, especially those in homes for the aged," she said. "We are also working on a national action plan for the older persons to protect their rights and provide them with better rehabilitation services. "This would stress the importance of keeping the elderly in a safe and pleasant atmosphere, giving them proper day-care services and support them." Copyright © 2008 Khaleej Times