Seniors Give Input on Senior Care Center Plans

Seniors on the island on Sunday were able to give their input on the Island Government’s plans to improve senior care. An important aspect of these improvements is to establish a senior care center. In an information session organized by Ms. Cassandra Wilson of the Friends of the Senior Citizens of Saba Foundation and Sarah van der Horn, a policy worker at the Island Government, questions were posed to the seniors present about what their needs were in terms of care and what types of activities they would like to see at a senior facility.

The main purpose of a senior facility is to keep residents active as they age and also be a venue to bring seniors and the rest of the community together.

Ms. Van der Horn said that the turnout for the information session was greater than expected and the seniors were very enthusiastic about the project and they also provided very good ideas about activities that should be part of the center. The government will use this input to draft a plan for the setup of the center.

The policy worker also explained that she had been speaking to various stakeholders for the past 5 months about what the needs of the senior citizens on the island are. The stakeholders include the Home for the Aged, Saba Health Care Foundation along with their Home Health Care Department as well as volunteer organizations that provide activities for the seniors. Representatives of similar centers in the region including Chapel Piece Center in St. Eustatius and Fundashon Cocari in Bonaire have also provided information on their program and experiences.

A senior care project is important not only because of the activities and community involvement it provides to seniors, but also it alleviates their caretakers of some their responsibilities even if for a short time.

The project, launched by Commissioner Bruce Zagers, is being executed in close collaboration with the Quality Care Officer of the Benevolent Foundation, Pieter van Amsterdam.

Press releas GIS Saba