High numbers of inmates in old people's homes across Mashonaland West province is an indicator that the moral fabric has collapsed and African ethos diminished among Zimbabweans, a senior social worker has said.
Speaking during belated International Day of Older Persons 33rd commemorations held at Chengetanayi Old People's Home in Chinhoyi this Friday, provincial social development officer, Agnes Mutowo, said the trend of placing aged parents and relatives in care homes was unAfrican, but sadly the numbers of inmates kept rising.
"It is unAfrican for us to put our parents in institutions but we are seeing this sad development on the rise. The three homes in the province, Chengetanayi and Nazareth in Chinhoyi as well as Benevolent in Kadoma have a total population of 80 inmates, and this high number is not pleasing.
"You wonder where the children of these older persons are and whether their conscience knows they dumped their father or mother in a home. We encourage families to look after their elderly members, be they parents or relatives, so they die peacefully among their kith and kin," said Mutowo.
She said the inmates' age range in the three homes in the province was between 65 and 104 years.
The social welfare boss lamented the neglect faced by older persons.
"Old people face neglect, but my wish is that we treat them as infants who need extra care. There are sad stories of the elderly chased away from their houses, denied food or beaten up. We need to give them special care. We have to respect our culture. They have a right to be cared for."
The older persons population across Mashonaland West now averages 108 000, both in institutions and those in family set ups.
Of the statistics, Mutowo explained, more were female due to their health-consciousnes which prompts them to get expert help whenever they fall sick while men don't seek medical assistance early, hence they succumb to various treatable ailments.
Addressing the same gathering, Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister, Marian Chombo, outlined government had legislated protection and care for the elderly.
"The older persons are supported by the Older Persons Board established under the Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare. The board is responsible for coming up with policies that affect the welfare of older persons.
It also acts as a watchdog to ensure that the government ratifies all conventions relating to older persons," she said.
"What is coming out of these objectives is the need to respect, and protect older persons to allow them to continue to enjoy their rights as enshrined in the Constitution of Zimbabwe under the Bill of Rights and the United Nations (UN) Conventions on Older Persons."
Chombo also decried the continued abuse of the aged folk.
"Most of the time social media is awash with reports of some older persons being abused, deprived of care and support or denied their basic rights.
"Some have had their homes sold leaving them homeless. Some had their hard-earned investments foolishly spent by their relatives and children leaving them vulnerable to extreme levels of poverty.
"We have also read in some instances of assaults and insults of older persons on frivolous grounds including being labelled witches. They are not witches because they have come of age.
"These atrocities should be condemned in the strongest terms and perpetrators of these crimes should be brought to book," said Chombo.
The minister reiterated that a lot of work has to be done by the current Older Persons Board and future boards to ensure the elderly enjoy welfare and protection from abuse by rogue elements of society.
"The older persons are a section of our aging population who have rights and privileges granted under the Constitution. People should never take advantage of them. The issue of ageism should be taught from as early as preschool and at all levels of education.
"This is to ensure that society understands the need to provide respect, care, love, support, and protection to the aged. They are not a curse but a blessing. They have the knowledge and wisdom to continue assisting society in developing and solving problems.
"They should be consulted and continue to be involved in family matters. We do have an ageing population and everyone is moving in that direction. As every day passes in our lives so is ageing creeping in."
According to a UN projection done in 2021, the aged population will double from 761 million to 1.6 billion by 2050.
Globally babies born in 2022 were expected to have a life expectancy of 71.7 years on average, which is 25 years longer than those born in 1950.
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This year, UN agencies set out objectives to increase global knowledge and awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and generate commitments among all stakeholders to strengthen the protection of the rights of current and future generations of older persons around the world.
Also, the world body seeks to share and learn from intergenerational models for the protection of human rights around the world and to call on governments and UN entities to review current practices with a view to better integrate a life course approach to human rights in their work and to ensure the active meaningful participation of all stakeholders in strengthening solidarity among partnerships.
In December 1990 the United Nations General Assembly designated the date as the International Day of Older Persons under resolution 45/106 and the day is marked yearly.
This year's celebrations mark the 33rd commemoration and Zimbabwe, like other UN member States, observed the event under the theme: " Fulfilling The Promises of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights For Older Persons: Across Generations.
