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26 new schemes for senior Emiratis

Dubai - Health insurance and home care mobile units will also be provided to ensure senior citizens get to live a healthy, comfortable life.

Senior citizens will receive healthcare services, home care mobile units, housing benefits, and financial protection as part of the recently launched National Policy for Senior Emiratis, a UAE minister has said.
The Ministry of Community Development will implement over 26 initiatives across public and private sectors to ensure the happiness and welfare of senior Emiratis. These include keeping a database of seniors; training healthcare providers; and carrying out Wekaya (prevention) campaigns that tackle geriatric diseases.
Health insurance and homecare mobile units will also be provided to ensure senior citizens get to live a healthy, comfortable life.
Hessa bint Essa bu Humaid, Minister of Community Development, said the initiatives aimed to provide precautionary measures for the safety of the elderly and create innovative channels to integrate them into society.
"Senior citizens have the wisdom, knowledge and experience that they can convey to the younger generations. Their presence among the family unifies everyone, helps educate children, and instils cultural and moral values in them," said Bu Humaid.
She added that about 15,000 senior citizens are already registered in the ministry's social welfare programme. The initiatives, Bu Humaid said, will cover the policy's seven pillars of healthcare, community involvement and active life, effective civic participation, infrastructure and transportation, financial stability, security and safety, and quality of future life.
A by-law project to protect the rights of senior Emiratis and a comprehensive pensions programme through community participation will be launched to support and encourage seniors to stay active.
A guideline for environmental specifications and standards, and a Hemaya (protection) financial and awareness protection programme will be established to ensure safe infrastructure and transportation and guarantee financial stability for the elderly.
Additionally, the policy also gives them competitive packages: including housing benefits; 'Sukoon', a package to protect and take care of those who do not have financial resources; and daycare services in community development centres, among others.
Bu Humaid emphasised that the National Policy for Senior Emiratis is a unifying platform for all community, national, and individual efforts for the elderly. The policy changed the term "old people" to "senior citizens", raising the quality of life and ensuring seniors' active involvement in the UAE community.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com