Sponsor a smile kit

HOURS of fun are yours to give when you sponsor a Smile Kit for a lonely elder.

Tafta (The Association for the Aged) is encouraging the community to imagine the life of an elderly person, for whom walking has become difficult and whose hearing is not good enough to make sense of TV shows or even enjoy a good chat.

“So you simply sit and do nothing, hour after hour, as the day stretches endlessly ahead. This is the reality for many elderly people, who might also find other functions impaired by the passing years. Fine motor skills are lost through lack of practice, and there may also be impaired cognitive and perceptual function that sap confidence,” Femada Shamam, chief executive officer of Tafta.

At Tafta residences, elders are encouraged to participate in arts and crafts therapy to stimulate sensory and motor skills, as well as mental agility and confidence. Some may have enjoyed these activities as children or young adults. Now they need to relearn and practice them, as well as trying new things. Keeping busy and having a sense of purpose also help ward off depression and anxiety and make for happier elders.

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“Help an elderly person experience all these important benefits by sponsoring a Smile Kit of stationery – paper, cardboard, scissors, crayons and pens – to encourage them to get involved in creative activity,” said Shamam.

If you are interested in sponsoring a Smile Kit at R150, contact The Association for the Aged on 031 332 3721 or www.tafta.org.za.

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