admin_county October 1, 2019

Embrace the elderly in the society – Engineer Lucy urges

The International Day for the Elderly was marked at the Nakuru Alms House with calls for a change of attitudes and perceptions on the old in the society.

The home at Kivumbini, Nakuru Town East was established in 1955 to offer moral and material help to the elderly in the then larger former Rift Valley Province.

Minister for Youth, Gender, Culture, Sports and Social Services Eng. Lucy Kariuki decried the rising cases of mistreatment of the elderly.

She noted that aging is a time-related change, beginning at birth and ending at death, and the elderly should be seen as valuable and dignified even after death.

This year’s theme “The Journey to Age Equality” focuses on efforts to address current and future inequities among the elderly.

She expressed the County Government of Nakuru’s commitment to addressing various drawbacks associated with old age such as health, security, and other socio‐economic factors.

The minister said the County had already begun the process to repossess part of the Nakuru Alms House land grabbed by private developers.

More than half of the initial 5 acres parcel of land has been grabbed with little room left for expansion.

The County Government of Nakuru has built two blocks that will see the home accommodate 30 people at a go.

Ksh 7 million future expansion of the facility will have a gym, physiotherapy centre, laundry, common room and a workshop where the elderly can offer crafts skills.

The minister was accompanied by Social Services Mr Josephat Kimemia, National Government’s Social Development Coordinator for Nakuru County Ms. Agness Oriri among others.