Helping Hand spoils elderly of Ons Tuis retirement home
"We just had to do something special to spoil our elderly, especially since most of them had birthdays during the lock down period."
Solidarity Helping Hand (SHH) arranged a special party to celebrate four elderly people who all celebrated their 100th birthday this year, at Ons Tuis retirement home in Riviera, Pretoria, recently.
The pensioners were among the 44 nationwide, who celebrated their 100th birthday in 2020. Each got a special party to celebrate the milestone.
Helping Hand’s project organiser for the elderly Benette Welman said celebrations were held nationwide at nursing homes in October – the international month for the elderly.
“We just had to do something special to spoil our elderly, especially since most of them had birthdays during the lockdown period and they could not be with their families or loved ones due to Covid-19 restrictions,” said Welman.
Welman said out of the 44 elderly people, there was only one man, a 106-year-old from the Western Cape.
Welman says the well-being of the elderly was a high priority for Helping Hand.
“We cannot allow them to become isolated and depressed due to Covid-19 regulations. To counteract these negative consequences, Helping Hand launched the Grendelgenoot project.
“It is a programme that is sent out weekly, and consists of a mental and an emotional message, a physical activity to boost the immune system and lift moods, and a good listening story that is read aloud.
“Furthermore, the elderly receive up-to-date content to cheer them up, recipes, and children’s voices from all over that tell how much they long for grandparents and what they are going to do once the lock-up is completely lifted,” she said.
Welman encouraged people to distribute parcels to grandparents, uncles or aunts or any elderly person.
The public can download the locking packages from Helping Hand’s website, or follow the telegram channel, Grendelgenoot, to get the weekly locking packages.
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