1. Nepal’s First Senior Citizens Day Care and Lifelong Learning Centre
Saar Nepal’s day care and lifelong learning centre is the only social and educational model of its type in Kathmandu. It is the learning centre for Senior Citizens in Nepal that is run by professional social workers. The purpose of Saar’s day care and lifelong learning centre is to provide engaging and supportive programs for senior citizens during daytime hours.
Clients are provided with opportunities to pursue educational interests, build their capacity and self-efficacy and participate in life assistance trainings, as well as interact socially with each other. There are also opportunities for clients to access and contribute to the community such as organizing community activities to enhance community participation in senior citizens issue through events, interaction program, social services, etc.
Goals and Objectives of the program:
· To increase independence and self-reliance
· Empower and educate clients in relevant issues and areas
· Increasing clients’ awareness of their rights and concerned issues.
· Assist clients to remain in their homes if they desire to stay by providing supportive programming.
· Prevent premature placement of senior citizens at old aged homes and care homes
· To increase resource accessibility
Features of the Centre
· Non-formal education classes
· Computer and mobile phone education
· Health education and regular health check ups
· Interaction and experience-sharing groups
· Individual counseling
· In-house library
· Spiritual discourse sessions.
· Involvement in Social Work and Social Services. ( blood donation, cleaning environment campaigns, etc)
· Training in income generation, skill development and capacity building
· Exposure visits to various spiritual and historical places
· Entertainment trips and excursions
2. Awareness Raising Programs and Campaigns
Saar Nepal organises awareness programs from the grassroots level up to the policy-making arena. We conduct awareness programs at various schools, colleges, clubs etc. in which we give information about issues facing senior citizens. Saar also raises awareness through signature campaigns, street dramas, pamphlet distribution, social media campaigns as well as television and radio campaigns. We have also produced and distributed t-shirts, badges and bookmarks with the message ‘Give First Priority to Elders’, ‘Respect and Love Elders’ and ‘Commitment to Care for Elders’ as part of the campaigns mentioned above.
3. Intergenerational Programs:
Our intergenerational programs are a platform to bridge the gap between senior citizens and the youth of Nepal. We organise intergenerational interaction programs which creates interaction among senior citizens and youth. Such programs expose youth to issues faced by people who are ageing and connect members of older and younger generations in a way that is mutually beneficial. These initiatives have been particularly successful.
Adopt a Grandparent On Your Birthday
This program is one of our key intergenerational programs and was created with the aim of promoting intergenerational relationships by providing a platform for a young person to ‘adopt a grandparent’ from whom they can learn, share and grow while understanding ageing issues from different dimensions. This program also provides an opportunity for youth who do not have grandparents by filling the vacant space of a grandparent’ love, concern and wisdom. They will share their life stories, spent time together and celebrate special occasions, play some memory games and indoor games, plan trips together, etc. This will keep them engaging with each other and can understand each other issues. As this is not a formal adoption process, there are no contacts to be signed, but rather the initiative hopes to foster lifelong relationships between young people and senior citizens.
4. Establishing and Strengthening Senior Citizens Club/Groups
Saar Nepal coordinates with various local agencies and communities to establish senior citizens groups. Saar Nepal assists groups to start meeting and to conduct activities and facilitates overall development and empowerment of senior citizens. We also endeavour to strengthen existing senior citizens groups by making appropriate referrals to various agencies where they can have access to resources. We can support them with activities and programming to organise senior citizens in a group. We collaborate with these agencies as well as clients themselves to organize various programs and activities that stimulate the ‘group spirit’, which is essential for the better life of senior citizens.
5. Rescue and Rehabilitation
Senior citizens living on the street or who are homeless have to undergo much hardship and are extremely vulnerable, having been deprived of their basic rights. Government support for senior citizens in Nepal is extremely limited, which further increases their vulnerability, especially if they have been estranged from family members. We contact senior citizens from the street, provide a case assessment to identify and diagnose the root causes which lead to their homelessness. If appropriate, we conduct family visits in order to try and reunite clients with their families, or, as a last resort, refer clients to an old age home.
6. Orientation and Training on Ageing
Saar Nepal is providing a platform to youths who seek an opportunity to learn and trained on ageing issues and students from social work, management and medical faculties. They are involved in varieties of activities like organizing programs for senior citizens, fundraising programs, intergenerational interaction program, awareness program, rescue and rehabilitation of street senior citizens. Their internship and volunteer opportunities at Saar Nepal have produced manpower seeking career on Ageing issues and aged care services.
7. Research and Publication:
Issues involving ageing in Nepal are under-researched; there is a great need for research to be conducted in this field. Saar Nepal also takes steps towards exploring research opportunities on various dimensions of ageing issues. We have published various brochures on elder abuse and other key issues facing this population group.
