Local study urges support for elderly amid pandemic

AMMAN — A local study released last week recommended initiating a national strategy for the elderly which would include recommendations such as increasing the national aid fund for the elderly to meet their demands due to the current difficult economic conditions.

“There is an urgent need to initiate a national strategy that would cater for the needs of the elderly people in Jordan, especially during crisis times,” the report, which was made as part of the national implanting strategy for the elderly in Jordan.

The study, prepared by the National Council for Family Affairs (NCFA) in cooperation with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), was released during a workshop last week that revealed that the current national strategy and its implementing plan for the elderly do not include any articles to deal with emergency situations such as the current COVID-19 crisis, according to an NCFA official.

The study also indicated that many elderly people in Jordan are not included in the free government insurance, although the government decided to include any individual who is over 60 in the insurance policy.

In 2019, the number of Jordanians who are over the age of 60 reached around 574,000 of the total 10,554,000 inhabitants in Jordan, according to the study.

The study also pointed out that there is a lack of specialised medical services for the elderly, which forces many to resort to receive medical services that are not included in the free government or private health insurance, which is very costly to many people.

The study also said the lack of proper transportation services to the elderly, especially for those living in remote or rural areas, works as “a hindering factor for them to reach medical facilities in their area”.

The study made several recommendations including organising a media campaign to raise the awareness among the elderly about their rights, including individuals who are subjected to all forms of violence.

The same kind of awareness campaigns to reinforce the positive perceptions of the elederly in society should be also initiated at the Kingdom’s schools, the study maintained.

Such procedures should be initiated in cooperation with the Public Security Directorate and relevant NGOs, the study pointed out.

Another recommendation focused on providing special loans for the elderly to ensure that they possess proper homes in friendly housing units.

The study also recommended boosting the health sector and include specialised physicians who can cater to the elderly’s medical, psychological and other needs.