Elderly

This section emphasizes Saudi Arabia’s efforts to improve the quality of care provided to the elderly through the introduction of various initiatives aimed at improving their quality of life and the value of services provided to them. Here, you will gain insight into the rights of the elderly highlighted by four core principles, social care houses and their conditions of acceptance, services and activities provided in social care houses, and a list of efficient social care houses to choose from. Additionally, this section introduces, Waqar, a non-profit association supporting the elderly, the services launched by the Ministry of Health dedicated to the elderly, and the Taqdeer service launched by the Ministerial Agency of Civil Affairs and Elderly.

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What is aging?

Aging is a biological fact that has its own way of occurring outside human control

Some reach the age of seventy and are in good health, while some require the care of others

There are several factors that affect the health of the elderly, they may be individual or environmental

The common problems that affect the elderly vary between physical, social and psychological

The importance of healthy aging lies in the continued independence in performing daily needs

An introduction:

Aging occurs at the level of physical changes as a result of the accumulation of large amounts of products of the reactions of molecules and cells over time; This leads to a gradual decline in physical and psychological capabilities, and an increase in the possibility of disease, and eventually death, but these changes are not inevitable, as some people may reach the age of seventy in good health, while others become debilitated and need the care of others.

Elderly Care

The government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has paid great attention to caring for the elderly, as many initiatives have been launched to improve the quality of life and raise the level of services provided to the elderly in society in general and in care homes supervised by the Ministry in particular, where the elderly work to make several contributions to society through volunteer work, and transfer experiences and knowledge to other generations through the experience they gained in life. To know the amount of contributions they make, every year the International Day of Older Persons or the International Day of Older Persons is celebrated.

The Ministry aims, through interaction with the International Day for the Elderly, to emphasize that the benign Islamic values call for reverence and respect for the elderly, highlighting the role the elderly play in the development and service of society and their ability to give. Benefiting from the experiences and energies of the elderly people in both the professional and scientific aspects, and introducing local and international efforts related to the elderly category. Supporting the elderly and raising awareness of their rights and taking care of them.

The Ministry provides the elderly with comprehensive care (health, social and psychological) through the social care homes which are spread throughout the regions of Saudi Arabia, which currently are 12 homes, in addition to providing financial and in-kind assistance to the needy elderly and their families through the Social Security Agency, and prosthetic devices such as wheelchairs, medical beds, headphones, etc., and a program Home care for the elderly within the family framework through a program of follow-up visits to them. Within the National Transformation Program, the Ministry is working on initiatives to establish 5 model oases for the elderly compatible with their needs, including all health services, physiotherapy and a recreational club, and enabling the private sector to establish 13 specialized civil societies for the elderly, whose services cover all regions of Saudi Arabia.

For more information about elderly care,

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Aging Definition

The aging process is a biological fact that has its own way of occurring outside human control, and of course its definition varies from one society to another. Age is taken into consideration to determine a person’s aging, as there are other factors that determine the retirement age, such as: the ability to perform the work entrusted to them, meaning that aging begins when a person is unable to participate effectively in society.” Gorman 2000.

Elderly Rights

A recent statistic from the Department of Statistics indicates that the number of elderly people is approximately one million and three thousand, or 5% of the total population. Article 27 of the Basic Law preserves the rights of the elderly, as it stipulates that “the state guarantees the right of the citizen and his family, in case of emergency, disease, disability, and old age, and supports the social security system, and encourages institutions and individuals to contribute to charitable works.” Just as caring for and caring for the elderly is extremely important, this group who has devoted their lives to giving and sacrifice deserves respect, gratitude and care through serving them to the fullest and providing facilities and provide the necessary facilities for them.

In 1991, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a document of principles relating to the elderly, which are:

The principle of "independence"

It is the right of the elderly to have adequate food, water, shelter, clothing, health care, the possibility of gainful employment, education and training.

The principle of "participation"

It means that older persons must participate actively in the formulation and implementation of policies that directly affect their well-being, provide younger generations with their knowledge and skills, and be able to form their own movements or associations.

The principle of "care"

It is the provision of opportunities to benefit from family care and health care for the elderly, and to enable them to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms when they reside in a shelter or a care or treatment facility.

The principle of "self-realization"

It means enabling the elderly to seek opportunities for the full development of their potential by providing them with access to educational, cultural, spiritual and recreational resources of society.

The principle of “dignity”

It enables the elderly to live in conditions of dignity and security, without being subject to any exploitation or abuse, physical or mental, and they should be treated fairly, regardless of their age, gender, racial or ethnic background, or whether they are disabled, and regardless of their financial status Or any other situation, and to be appreciated regardless of the extent of their economic contribution.

Electronic Services for Elderly People

Saudi Arabia generally provides electronic services to all citizens and residents, without discrimination based on gender, age, religion, race, or otherwise. Despite this, it excludes the elderly by providing them with special services to meet their needs, in order to protect their rights. Some of the services are:

Health services

Sehhaty App - Ministry of Health

Booking Medical Appointments (Sehhaty) - Ministry of Health

Instant Medical Consultation Service - Ministry of Health

Psychological and Mental Consultation – Ministry of Health

Home Health Care - Ministry of Health

Home Healthcare - Ministry of Human Resource and Social Development

Medicines and Prescriptions Review Service - Ministry of Health

Medical Treatment Services - Ministry of Health

Social care homes

These homes aim to accommodate and care for every male or female citizen who has reached sixty or more and is unable to do his own affairs and his family and relatives are not able to do so, in addition to caring for the sick and elderly who have no breadwinner and are referred from hospitals, if they are free of infectious and mental diseases.

Through these homes, government residential care, which includes social, medical and psychological care, and whose activities vary, such as cultural, professional, recreational and sports activities, is supervised by a functional body that includes all disciplines to carry out the services entrusted to it to serve the residents of the house.

Conditions for accepting the elderly in the home

Saudi national

• They have reached sixty or more, and aging has caused them to become incapable of work or to carry out their own affairs. It is permissible to accept someone under the age of sixty if the social research proves the need to include him in the home services

Medical examination proving the candidate is free from communicable, contagious, psychological, or mental diseases that pose a threat to his safety, or a danger to the rest of the elders

The absence of the family, or its inability to provide the services needed by the elderly

A List of Social Care Houses

Saudi Society for the Support of the Elderly "Waqar"

It is a non-profit charitable association founded in 1437 AH and its main headquarters is in the city of Riyadh. and it seeks to support the elderly, support their rights, help in their care and raise the level of interest in their status, and the association aims to:

Achieving complementarity between sectors that serve the elderly

Creating programs and initiatives that suit them, in addition to contributing to improving the type of services provided to them

Working to support efforts to enrich knowledge in the areas of the elderly and their care

Enhancing the status of the elderly in society, highlighting their role, and raising awareness of their issues

Employing the energies of volunteers in an optimal manner to support and serve them

Services provided:

Sehhaty service: It is an electronic service provided by the Saudi Ministry of Health; To enable the beneficiary to book his appointments at primary health care centers and manage these appointments by modifying or canceling them, as well as managing his other appointments in any hospital he is referred to

The (Seha) application: provides remote medical consultations through video calls, text messages, or voice messages

(937) Service: which provides medical consultations via voice call

Service locations:

Primary health care centers, through the interactive map, from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM

Urgent health care centers, through the health centers on duty (24 hours)

Hospital emergency departments, through the interactive map (24 hours)

Justice services for the elderly

Mobile notarial offices هs a free service provided by the Ministry of Justice to beneficiaries who are unable to attend the headquarters of notarial for elderly people (65 years or older), patients, people with disabilities, hospital inmates, nursing homes, and Awlawia card holders issued by the Ministry of Health. The notary will provide the service at the beneficiary's location according to the available dates, and the service will be performed immediately without the need to visit the notarial offices. To access the service, click here (App Store — Google Play ).

Residential Support Programs

Request housing support

A service provided by the Ministry of Housing targeting male and female citizens, enabling them to register in the housing support request lists without any fees to verify their eligibility to receive housing support and then determine who is eligible. Citizens can also calculate the amount of support that the Ministry about ready-made housing units will provide, housing units under construction, and real estate loans by filling in the required data in the housing support calculator service.

Developmental housing

The Ministry of Housing has worked in integration and partnership with NGOs and civil institutions to achieve housing support by providing housing units for deserving and most needy families in society, which are covered under the auspices of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development.

Services dedicated to the elderly

Service goal:

Enabling the elderly and people with special needs to request civil status services at home.

For more information click, here.

Elderly education and literacy

Saudi Arabia aims to tackle and eliminate illiteracy; therefore, the nation has worked tirelessly to prepare special programs for adult education, under the supervision of the Ministry of Education, targeting all illiterate individuals and offering them education free of charge. The Ministry of Education worked on a clear roadmap to tackle spelling illiteracy in various regions and governorates across Saudi Arabia, in addition to conducting transitional campaigns to reach residents in remote areas and educate them, thus reducing illiteracy, decreasing it to 5.6%. Saudi Arabia guarantees the rights of older persons through legislation and the adult education and literacy system.

Initiatives and Services for the Elderly:

Registration Service in the Learned Neighborhood Center Programs

A system for registering beneficiaries in the programs of the Learned Neighborhood Center, for the benefit of Saudi citizens, and Saudi women aged 15 years and over, who wish to develop their life in relation to educational and professional skills. The General Administration of Continuing Education is working on updating the service link according to the departments holding the forum.To apply for the service, click here.

Adult Education Schools

The General Administration of Continuing Education works to provide formal education service for the elderly, free of charge, for those who did not have the opportunity to continue their education at all levels of education, including primary, intermediate and secondary, of the Ministry of Education in all regions of Saudi Arabia.To apply for the service, click here.

Registration for Summer Campaigns

Selective, focused, campaigns are carried out for a duration of two months and held in places where it is difficult to prepare for regular classes. This service targets students in remote areas, and a link to the service is published periodically when the activity begins at the beginning of summer vacation. To apply for the service, click here.

Ain Channel Service for Adult Education and Educational Enhancement Resources for Adults

A service targeting adult education students, which broadcasts educational programs and lessons for students through an educational channel dedicated to the education of the elderly. To apply for the service, click here.

Registration Service in An Illiterate Society

A service provided through a flexible and attractive alphabetical literacy educational program with financial incentives to increase enrollees' motivation to join the program. The illiterate applicants benefit from this service at their location, whether in the city or the village, and the service link is published at the beginning of each new academic year. To apply for the service, click here.

Registration Service in the Literacy Community

A service provided to the elderly through an alphabetical literacy educational program. The service is flexible and attractive, with the provision of material incentives to increase the enrollees motivation towards joining the program. Illiterate applicants benefit from this service at home in all regions, cities and governorates of Saudi Arabia, and the General Administration of Continuing Education will publish the service link at the beginning of each new academic year. To apply for the service, click here.

Registration Service for the Continuing Education Forum

This service is a special system for registering for workshops and events of the Continuing Education Forum, targeting all teachers and leaders of continuing education schools, directors, heads of adult education departments, supervisors and interested academics and individuals interested inside and outside the Ministry. The General Department of Continuing Education is working to update the service link in a renewed manner according to the departments holding the forum. To apply for the service, click here.

Comprehensive Electronic System Service for Adult Education

A system that links education departments in regions and governorates with the General Administration of Continuing Education in order to facilitate the usual administrative processes such as raising demand and various nominations. The service targets adult education departments and sections in education departments in all regions and governorates in Saudi Arabia. To apply for the service, click here.

Diseases affecting older persons

The elderly require careful periodic follow-up of their health status because they are vulnerable to several problems (physical - mental and psychological - social).
Preventing these problems and following up on them comes in order to prevent the accumulation of negative effects of their risk factors, which leads to reducing the risk of infection and the risk of complications.

First: Physical health problems: