Pretoria - Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini says South Africans must promote a holistic approach to active ageing and wellbeing among the country’s senior citizens.
Speaking during the South African Older Persons Forum (SAOPF) annual national conference at Mbombela Stadium, Minister Dlamini said active ageing cannot be about sporting codes only because not everyone is interested in sports nor has the capability to partake in these physically demanding activities.
“While a number of initiatives have been rolled out by the Departments of Social Development, Health, Tourism, Sport and Recreation South Africa and other stakeholders to promote general health among older persons, especially through sports, more could be done to promote general wellbeing.
“I therefore urge the SAOPF to introduce other activities such as chess clubs, singing, poetry evenings, painting lessons and other mentally stimulating activities for older persons in your provinces,” Minister Dlamini said on Tuesday.
The Minister said the provincial branches of SAOPF should keep up their efforts to benefit of older persons, including those in rural areas.
Minister Dlamini will on Wednesday open the National Older Persons Golden Games at Mbombela Stadium.
The games, hosted in partnership with Sports and Recreation South Africa, will see older persons participating in sport and recreation activities like the duck walk, dress-up race, football, athletics and others. The programme ends on Friday.
Since 2008, the government has implemented a national active ageing programme in line with the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (2002) and the Older Persons Act of 2006.
The Madrid Plan of Action offers a bold new agenda for handling the issue of ageing in the 21st century. It focuses on three priority areas: older persons and development, advancing health and well-being into old age and ensuring enabling and supportive environments.
The Older Persons Act aims to enhance the quality of life and improve the health of older persons by engaging them in programmes that promote social, physical, mental and emotional well-being to prevent or delay the onset of ageing challenges and keep old age related illness at bay. – SAnews.gov.za
