The Community Development Authority in Dubai has stepped up its efforts during the past weeks to protect the elderly citizens and health and psychological residents, by implementing proactive measures to ensure that they do not commit or that their families engage in any wrong practices during the holiday, in the wake of the increased warnings from health and competent authorities in the country from the results The negative impact of family visits, due to its role in increasing the number of new cases of Coronavirus.
The Executive Director of the Development and Social Welfare Sector at the Authority, Hariz Al-Murr Bin Hariz, told «Emirates Today» that the Authority increased its efforts by applying the relevant teams a number of measures during the recent period to emphasize the necessity of refraining from wrong practices and social customs that constitute in the current period a factor It is essential for transmitting the virus, such as visits, family gatherings and handshaking, in addition to not leaving a distance of spacing and wearing a muzzle when having to visit a family member living in another house.
Huriz said that the measures included implementing more campaigns to educate the elderly citizens and residents of the means of prevention required to adhere to to limit the spread of the virus, through the distribution of flyers approved by the Dubai Health Authority to them, and explain the details of prevention and sterilization procedures to them in a clear and simple way.
He stressed the intensification of awareness-raising methods for those in charge of senior citizens, and explained to them in a manner that ensures their proper and complete implementation.
It also included broadcasting awareness messages via phone messages and video clips that reinforce concepts of disease prevention.
He called on members of society and families to adhere to instructions and not to act in a way that endangers the lives of the elderly, calling on all age groups of community members to take responsibility to protect themselves and others by committing to implementing preventive measures applied at the state level to combat the spread of the virus.
In response to a question about any kind of safe social or recreational activities that can be implemented to support the elderly psychologically during the Eid period, Huriz stressed that the current period obliges everyone to stay at home, which makes the commission obliged to stop activities and foreign trips, as well as not to allow gathering for club members Social repertoire, whether at club headquarters or in homes.
Huriz stressed the importance of the role of family members residing in the same home in supporting the elderly psychologically by circumventing them, showing feelings of mercy and friendliness, always focusing on positive thoughts and trying to attract their attention to all that inspires optimism, as well as encouraging them to do enjoyable household activities such as planting plants and practicing hobbies.
Huriz pointed out to the distribution of a gift from the Community Development Authority to senior citizens from members of the Dakhr Social Club, and to affiliates to the home care program «and Lev», which includes senior citizens who live alone.
He confirmed communication with members of the social club, and registered in the home care service «and Lev», by phone, and through messages.
The authority confirmed to "Emirates Today" that the health and psychological state of the senior citizens, registered in the "Woolf" program, who live alone in their homes, are stable, and most of them are in good health, and no HIV cases were recorded among them.
The Authority provides senior citizens registered in the program with rehabilitation and recreational services, and tracks their needs with service and health authorities, and provides them to them.