The right to light – Northcliff’s elderly bare the brunt of load-shedding
During mid-winter, frequent loadshedding is especially cruel for the elderly.
Load-shedding affects everyone differently, but among those who suffer the most are the indigent and elderly. The Northcliff Melville Times visited three homes which care for the aged.
Many residents live off Sassa grants and say they cannot afford to keep themselves warm when there is no power.
All residents have a battery-powered light or torch which they use during night-time power cuts. For safety reasons, all three homes prohibit the use of candles.
Getting to the toilet in the dark is another problem many face, which causes much distress.
The Methodist Homes Montgomery Haven in Montgomery Park is a tranquil community where some elderly tenants can live independently in cottages, and some are in the care centre which has 51 beds for assisted-living residents.
A generator provides power and heating to the care centre, but most of those in the cottages cannot afford to provide their own heating when the power is out.
Manage Laura Somers said, “Load-shedding is stretching our operational abilities to the limits. We would love to move to solar for some utilitiesbut the initial outlay for equipment is too expensive.”
She said those on oxygen in the care centre need to be constantly monitored and provided with mobile oxygen tanks.
Lynn Ferriman (74) said she can’t burn candles for light or warmth because of the risk of fire. “I fall asleep during load-shedding at night, because the only place I can try to stay warm is in bed.”
Koeks Geringer (82) described moving around on her walker with her light, “I get in a muddle when it’s dark, so I stay where I am. It gets so cold, and I dread it every day.”
Caro House in Northcliff is also a friendly, quiet, and welcoming environment which cares for up to 40 people.
Matron Angie Gyngell said many residents become anxious when the power is out. “There have been multiple episodes of residents hurting themselves in the dark or becoming frightened and disorientated.”
Ruth Gibb (92) fell in the dark during recent night-time load-shedding while moving across her room. “I cut my head, and hurt my hips quite badly. I am now really scared of the dark, so I stay in bed, no matter what.”
She said she struggles to charge her hearing aid when there are long power cuts.
The Salvation Army’s Eventide home in Emmarentia, under the care of Major Desiree Golding, said donated food stored in the deep freeze was sometimes lost during long power cuts as it cannot be refrozen.
“At night our residents can’t sit in the dining room to eat during load-shedding as moving them safely to and from their rooms is difficult. They eat alone, in their beds, in the dark or with a small light.” she said.
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