OLDER PERSONS HAVE EARNED RIGHT TO BE TREATED WITH RESPECT AND DIGNITY

By Relebohile Ramabitsa

• Representatives of participants at the National Active Ageing Programme called for the government, civil society, and the private sector to improve service delivery and stop the abuse of older persons in South Africa.
• “We, as older persons, have contributed significantly to the lives of others and to the development of our country,” Mme Mpho Mohlamme from the Free State told the participants.
• Older citizens have earned to right to be treated with respect and dignity, she added

During the national dialogue at the 2024/25 National Active Aging Programme taking place in Rustenburg, North West, Free State delegates called for collaboration between different government departments and other organisations.

The Free State Province’s focus for the discussions on 18 February 2025 was on the impact of poor collaboration between services providers, leading to the ill treatment of older persons at service delivery points.

“We as older persons have contributed significantly to the lives of others and to the development of our country,” said Mme Mpho Mohlamme.

The country’s older citizens had worked hard to raise families and paid taxes to sustain the development of the country, she said, adding that they had earned the right to be treated with respect and dignity.

A lack of collaboration in providing services to older persons meant that the services provided by nurses, social workers and police officers, for example, were disparate and not coordinated nor integrated.

While South Africa has strong legislation that promotes respect, dignity, safety, security and empowerment for older persons, the challenge is to implement the legislation, Mohlamme said. Are the challenges an attitudinal issue, a lack of proper leadership or a shortage of resources, she asked

She spoke about the ill treatment of older persons during the delivery of services, which is also a concern echoed by representatives from other provinces. It became clear during the dialogue that the situation is becoming worse.

“Some elders report that their experiences at places like the clinics, hospitals, banks and the South African Social Security Agency often fall short of their expectations because there are long queues, inaccessible facilities and they are subjected to ageism,” Mohlamme said.

Efforts required to better the lives of older persons

“For them, these experiences are not only humiliating but also detrimental to their physical and mental health,” she added.

“We need quality implementation of the Older Persons Act by all government departments and civil societies to better the lives of the older persons”

She said that for this to work, government needed to provide training and capacity building along with well-structured facilities for community-based care. She listed solutions that would make things better, including dedicated services, effective communication, fostering intersectoral collaborations and working partnerships, and monitoring and evaluation.

Mohlamme noted that the South African Older Persons Forum is committed to advocating and lobbing for the rights of older persons.

“We request the government, civil society, and the private sector to improve service delivery and stop the abuse of older persons in South Africa,” she concluded.

A representative from Kwa-Zulu Natal too spoke of the alarming rate of abuse faced by older persons in the province, often at the hands of young people, calling for stricter punishment for perpetrators who prey on vulnerable older individuals who can no longer defend themselves.

A representative from the North West province stressed the importance of hiring caregivers who are not only qualified but also genuinely care for the well-being of older persons.

The representative urged the children of older persons to be diligent in selecting caregivers who can provide the necessary love and attention to their parents

Finally, the representatives also addressed the older persons themselves, emphasising the importance of remaining committed to active ageing.

“Without your commitment to being active, all the efforts put into these programmes will be in vain,” they cautioned, highlighting the need for physical activity to ensure a healthy and fulfilling life.