Better care for the elderly: that was the focus of the meeting held at the Inspiration Center today. HelpAge invited their members from all branches across the country to evaluate the services they are providing and to find ways to enhance service to older persons. The council of Aging also plays an important role in this initiative and the Executive Director Ixchel Poot further explained the specific topics of concern.
Ixchel Poot, Exec. Dir - Council of Aging
"Today HelpAge is having its launch of its two day workshop for its board members. It's a key event for them because HelpAge is the largest network we have in the country that serves older persons. What they've done, they've taken the initiative and brought together all the leaders from their branches and they are providing them with tools to better execute the work that each of the branches are doing."
Courtney Weatherburne
"What are some of the specific areas or elements that you all are focusing on today?"
Ixchel Poot, Exec. Dir - Council of Aging
"Some of the specific areas we are looking at today, we've talk about normal aging, we are looking at how to collaborate and how to get all the organizations together working as one and moving forward in one voice. So there is a lot of planning that will be taking place. We will be looking at the situation of older persons across Belize. So that all the branches are up to date and up breast with what's happening with older persons and the population that they are serving. They are looking at things like the older persons' act. How do we maintain the safety of our older persons and the care of our older persons? Last year the national council of aging along with BTEC had a care givers training here in Belize. We've been working with the YWCA - having care givers training in Belmopan. So we are looking at building a capacity, a resource of persons who are able to be in the community work with older persons in such a way."
Maria Elena Sylvester, Patroness, HelpAge
"Throughout the country HelpAge has branches in all the districts and in two villages Hopkins and Siene Bight and in all the country we have daycare centers and we have home visits, meals on wheels, medical clinics. We also have two residential homes; the Sister Cecilia Home and the Octavia Waight Center and so the services of HelpAge is holistic - it goes across the board."
Another major issue that is affecting older persons is their pension. According to Poot there are some older persons who only get a few dollars a month as pension and they have to survive on that. Poot says they are looking into it.
Ixchel Poot, Exec. Dir - Council of Aging
"So our pension situation is quite a difficult one. In 2010 the National Council on Aging HelpAge Belize and HelpAge International did a study on a universal pension in Belize and during that study we discovered that at that time about 61% of our population had no pension benefit whatsoever. Not even includes the non-contributory pension which is $100 per month. So there is definitely need for pension reform. It's a discussion that all our organizations are having, because as you said there is a challenge. When we did our situation analysis in 2010 as well, we found out that some older people get $10 per month. And with $10 a month you are going to have to figure who you are going to make it last and that's why organizations like HelpAge Belize become crucial, because they will provide a meal on wheels service. They will provide home care services - services that the older person that might not be able to afford."
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