The United Arab Emirates celebrates the International Day of Older Persons which falls on 1st October every year with quality achievements on ground, in support and appreciation of senior citizens based on the vision and directives of the UAE wise leadership and its keenness to give them priority, as they are seniors in experience, seniors in giving throughout their years of work and commitment to serve the nation.
The United Arab Emirates celebrates the International Day of Older Persons which falls on 1st October every year with quality achievements on ground, in support and appreciation of senior citizens based on the vision and directives of the UAE wise leadership and its keenness to give them priority, as they are seniors in experience, seniors in giving throughout their years of work and commitment to serve the nation.
The Ministry of Community Development consolidates its efforts to serve senior citizens based on the objectives of the National Policy for Senior Citizens, and within the framework of the Federal Law on the Rights of Senior Citizens, reflecting the values of the UAE society that highly respects and cares for senior citizens in recognition of their giving and in belief of their important roles within the nation and towards promoting the stability, cohesion and happiness of all members of the family and community in general.
The United Nation’s theme of the International Day of Older Persons 2022 “of Older Persons in a Changing World” highlights the resilience and contributions of older men and women especially that COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated existing inequalities, with the past three years intensifying the socioeconomic, environmental, health and climate related impacts on the lives of older persons, especially older women who constitute the majority of older persons.
In a sustainable manner, the Ministry of Community Development seeks to consolidate the resilience of senior citizens in facing long-term environmental, social and economic health changes. It is continuously developing the database of senior citizens, to ensure the provision of support, empowerment and appreciation of these categories and affirm its priority in obtaining proactive services that meet its social and development needs, and achieve the goal of sustaining the giving and production of senior citizens to enhance their contribution to the development of the community.
On this occasion, Senior Citizens’ Happiness Center in Ajman, affiliated by the Ministry of Community Development, organizes several activities including a session entitled "Achievements and Challenges of Senior Citizens during the Pandemic", which reviews the most important achievements and challenges faced by senior citizens during the past three years, the ability of women to withstand the various challenges of life, in addition to the contributions of senior citizens in various development fields, and the possibility of benefiting from their experiences and instilling their solid values with the new generations.
The Senior Citizens' Happiness Center in Ajman will organize the "Their Satisfaction is a Paradise" initiative, which includes a range of health and entertainment events, in addition to a workshop for senior citizens entitled "Signs of Blood Pressure", and another one on diving and Dhukoon “Arabic bukoor incense”; several awareness workshops will be also organized to explain the services provided by the Emirates Health Services-EHS to senior citizens, and an awareness workshop entitled "Improving and Strengthening Your Body Posture".
Under the title "What 2020-2022 taught me", the center will carry out a visit to the home of a senior citizen who is recognized for her research in heritage and culture while in addition to a visit by a group of school students and Emirates Red Crescent Authority as part of the ongoing activities held by the center to celebrate the "International Day of Older Persons".
Last Ramadan, the Ministry of Community Development organized a series of media and cultural programs for senior citizens, including "Ramadan Stories with Maryam" who talked about the memories of television, the night of Sheikh Zayed's death, and habits of Eid preparations.
The program "Dialogue Across Generations" included a seminar organized by the Ministry organized entitled "How to maintain Emirati values" and a seminar on "Inherited Values from Our Ancestors". Ta'aluf Live 2022 also included two episodes about "Fasting of Elderly People in Ramadan" and “International Awareness Day Concerning Abuse of Elderly People”.
In the "Your Right on the Head" program on Federal Law No. 13 on the Rights of Senior Citizens, the most prominent provisions of the law were reviewed, highlighting the right to independence and privacy of senior citizens, the right to participate in continuing learning programs and volunteer work, the interest of senior citizens as a priority, and how to report any abuse.
Federal Law No. (13) concerning the rights of senior citizens highlights the right to independence and privacy of senior citizens, the right to participate in continuing learning programs and volunteering work, the welfare priority of senior citizens and how to report any abuse.
The Ministry has also completed a package of workshops and initiatives for senior citizens during the current year, including: my experience program, rehabilitation program for senior citizens welfare, you are still young program, 60 Tec, 60 Youth Program, and prevention program. The Ministry continues to implement “we are your family” telephone initiative remotely, in cooperation with a number of volunteers to check on senior citizens and ensure that all their needs and requirements are met in various circumstances and times.
The Ministry of Community Development gives senior citizens priority in awareness campaigns through social media platforms, by directing awareness messages in the field of welfare and empowerment of senior citizens "as guidelines for the prevention of senior citizens from COVID 19", "nutritional advices for senior citizens", "guidelines for the welfare of senior citizens during epidemics" in addition to raising awareness of the allocated services for senior citizens and methods of registration”.
The Ministry supports the empowerment of senior citizens through a number of community and economic programs and initiatives, most notably "Al Sanaa" program for Emirati productive families, which has so far attracted nearly 2,900 productive Emirati families, while women productive families constitute 92.7% compared to 7.3% men. Women and Men Senior citizens "over 60 years of age" make up 21% of the total number of productive families of which the majority of whom are "women" senior citizens (20.7%).
The Ministry provides a range of proactive services to senior citizens, including "Massara" card, which provides a set of services and privileges granted automatically and without request to every citizen over 60 years through a direct electronic link of "Massara" card and Emirates ID. Additionally, "Fazaa" card, which was initiated within the partnership between the Ministry of Community Development and Social Takaful Fund for employees at the Ministry of Interior, was presented to senior citizens who are registered in the ministry’s database during the first phase.
Senior Emiratis also participate in the "Senior Volunteers" initiative, which provides them with several volunteering opportunities, programs and activities that commensurate with their interests, professional experiences and physical abilities in various fields, through the national platform volunteers.ae in addition to their membership in the Customers’ Happiness Centers, in which they are provided with the opportunities to enjoy recreational, awareness and sports programs, in addition to the priority of obtaining free examinations and vaccinations according to programs designed specifically for them.
The Ministry also provides senior citizens with the services of the "Mobile Unit - We Connect With You" in Ajman i.e. a medical unit consisting of an integrated team of a doctor, physiotherapist, nurse and assistant, who make home visits to senior citizens and provide them with primary healthcare services, physiotherapy, social, awareness and educational services and introduce family members with the ways of taking care of senior citizens and social workers who carry out the research tasks and procedures for providing senior citizens with social security