“I always tell my nursing students, serve your clients well especially the older people, because it could be a servant or an Angel of the living God, sent to you. Even after they have died unfortunately, treat their bodies with dignity and respect.
“From the day you start taking care of the geriatric folks in your facilities, let it be a rewarding moment for you and don’t let that blessing go.”
Prof. Amertil gave the advice as a keynote speaker at the launch of the Geriatric Hub, a nongovernmental organisation, to promote the health and welfare of older persons and commemoration of the 34th UN International Day of Older Persons in Accra.
She said families and societies sometimes failed to acknowledge that older people existed, however, the younger population had to understand that they bore a lot of wisdom.
The aged, she advised were to be made an integral part of society, be made to enjoy some recreational amenities and not to be made to sit at home, adding: “they are very competent and fit for many purposes.”
“This celebration is an eye opener for the community and for young people to invest more time with grandparents and older family members. The aged need to be visible, seen and acknowledged as they deserve,” she added.
Dr Priscilla A. Y. Attafuah, the Executive Director, Geriatric Hub, said older people had been neglected in the society with a gap in the care they were given.
She encouraged families to at least once a month get their aged engaged in a get together or fan activities as organised by some NGOs for socialisation and to feel a sense of belonging to society.
She advised the public and caretakers who tagged the aged as witches to desist from the name calling and inhumane treatment.
“Sometimes it could be mere forgetfulness or dementia or acts as a result of aging and not because they are witches. Let us stop that tag and maltreatment because we will all also age and I do not think any of us wants to be treated that way when we get there,” she added.
Dr Attafuah, also a Lecturer at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Ghana, said Ghana’s current life expectancy, according to available data was now 65 years and citizens needed to be aware and conscious of the life to lead to live long.
The Geriatric Hub, she said, was going to extend more comprehensive support on health sensitisation and healthcare to the aged in remote areas nationwide after its launch.
Mrs Rita Amonoo Nisa, Ghana Health Service, Deputy Director for Nursing and Midwifery Service, Ghana Health Service, urged health workers to take good care of the elderly as they were vulnerable.
With their skills and experience, she said they were very valuable in society and were instrumental especially in times of conflict to calm nerves.
“It is good for young people to honour them so that they will receive same treatment in their old age,” she said.
The Ghana Health Service, she said, was coming up with guidelines to ensure the aged were prioritised aside emergency cases whenever they visited health facilities for care.
The Geriatric Hub also organised a health screening exercise for the aged including blood sugar and pressure, eye and dental screening as part of the commemoration.
GNA
