Tafta calls for awareness on elder abuse in Durban communities
Tafta is on a mission to forge ahead with a series of talks and dialogues within various Durban communities to educate residents and elders on the prevention of elder abuse and the care of vulnerable elders.
THE Association for the Aged (Tafta) is calling on collaborative partners in the field of elder care in the communities of Durban to join them as they plan a multi-stakeholder approach to educate residents and community elders on the issues of elder abuse.
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The call to action for community bodies, and other relevant stakeholders to come together to tackle elder care issues within the Durban community comes after the death of three Durban elders. According to Femada Shamam, CEO of Tafta, these deaths can be attributed to a system that was not fully equipped to manage the needs of the ageing population.
“Last month, there were not one, but two tragic incidents where elders were left with a sense of hopelessness and isolation, leading to disturbing fatalities. As I read reports on these deaths, they invoked in me a sense of urgency to act with the ultimate goal of ensuring that we can collectively find some solutions to support those elders in desperate need within our communities.”
Shamam continued with her appeal made on the association’s social media platforms: “I am looking for like-minded people who believe that a solution can be found to the challenge of supporting our elders who have care needs. Alone, I may not be able to do much but I know that there are people who are deeply affected by these incidents and I hope that I can count on you to partake in this initiative. I am committing my time, my knowledge and whatever resources I have to contribute towards an elder never feeling that they have no option but to end their lives. I hope that I can count on you as well.”
Following an underwhelming response from the Durban community, Tafta has decided to forge ahead with a series of talks and dialogues within various Durban communities to educate residents and elders on the prevention of elder abuse and the care of vulnerable elders. The Association is thus calling on interested community bodies looking to partner with them to get the message out to their communities to host the dialogues sessions with relevant audiences; elders and their caretakers.
The sessions also follow on a similar community initiative launched in 2018, where Tafta in partnership with elders from Kwa Mashu, Newlands, Inanda and organisations such as Umlazi Christian Care centre, Baytul Nur and DAFTA embarked on an awareness dialogue on Elder Abuse between 2 May and 15 June 2018. Through the initiative, 335 people were reached through Elder Abuse Dialogues held in communities such as Sydenham, Inanda, Durban Central and Bellair. Dialogue sessions included the definition of Elder Abuse, types of abuse, and reporting structures.
According to Shamam, the dialogue session findings were then used to compile a report submission which was made to the KZN Older Persons parliament in October 2018: “The dialogues created a platform to highlight issues experienced by Elders across the demographic lines and the importance of on-going awareness to deal with this taboo subject in a safe environment.
“In 2019, we are rolling out these dialogue sessions in Chatsworth, KwaMashu and other areas in which we hope to unearth further findings. Following these sessions, we’ll hopefully have a clearer understanding of the issues we need to tackle and establish a task team to take them forward towards resolution, or at least greater levels of support for those in need,” Shamam added.
This year once again, the sessions will eventually culminate in an awareness walk on 14 June 2019 to commemorate World Elder Abuse Day which is on 15 June 2019. For the first time, the walk this year will take place in the Wentworth community, in the vicinity of Tafta’s John Dunn House. Interested parties wishing to walk in solidarity with Tafta can contact Abel Naicker on 031 208 4175 or email abeln@tafta.org.za
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