Keeping An Eye On The old Folks
By Zasika Musdi

Bandar Seri Begawan - The four-day ROK-Asean Meeting on Home Care for Older Persons opened yesterday in its continuing efforts to ensure the welfare and security of the community, particularly the golden citizens.

The meeting is jointly organised by HelpAge Korea, Republic of Korea (ROK) and Asean countries Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Brunei Darussalam.

In her welcoming address, Chairperson of the Organising Committee Datin Hjh Adina bte Othman revealed that the ROK-Asean Home Care for Older Persons programme was launched in 2005 with the aim of providing care to older persons through the involvement of family members and volunteers.

This is the first time the meeting is being held in the Sultanate. "It is hoped that through this programme, we would be able to improve the quality of life of our elderly clients in terms of physical, emotional and social aspects, as well as to strengthen family norms so as to maintain respect and affection for older persons," she said. The programme - which is funded by the government of the Republic of Korea and operates through HelpAge Korea and Help Age International - is now in its second phase (from June 2006 to June 2009), she added.

For Brunei Darussalam, the programme which began in the BruneiMuara District, has since been extended to the Belait District.

There are currently about 50 volunteers from the Brunei-Muara District and 17 more from the Belait District, and more are welcomed to come forward and join the project. To support the programme, various short courses were organised and conducted by-the Department of Community Development for volunteers in providing more knowledge and skills on caring for old people.

Discussions with volunteers are held regularly, where up-to-date reports on the clients are provided. The objective is to improve care for the elderly clients and also allow the department to monitor their progress.

Meanwhile, Rachmat Irwansjah, the Technical Officer for Health and Population Unit Bureau for Resources Development, Asean Secretariat, said that the exchange visit on home care is part of a larger regional programme to support Asean member states in developing a 'Volunteer-Based Home Care Programme Model.

This programme was established under the Asean-ROK Special Cooperation Fund (SCF). "Older people have been identified as one of the socially vulnerable groups to be protected from social risks and should be given equal opportunities to do social services.

This effort had been amplified with the adoption of the Asean Strategic Framework and Plan of Action for Social Welfare, Family and Children (2007-2010)," he said.

With regard to the Asean Community to be established by 2015 - which envisions Asean to be under three communities, namely Asean Security Community, Asean Economic Community and Asean Socio-Cultural Community - the programme for home based care for older people plays two important roles.

Firstly, it is considered as one of the basis to realise one of the three communities, the Asean Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC). A framework blueprint for the ASCC is being developed as a roadmap to address the region's aspiration to improve the quality of life of its people, including the elderly.

The blueprint stresses the importance of increasing the effectiveness of regional cooperation to address the various threats to human development and security including hunger, disease, lack of opportunities, natural and man-made disasters, domestic violence, trafficking in persons and social injustice, among others.

Secondly, the Home Based Care Programme reflects Asean's commitment to further expand its engagement with the dialogue partners and other partners, and it is believed that such interaction will assist Asean in its integration efforts to achieve the Asean Community by 2015. This programme is particularly considered a medium of learning of what has been achieved in Korea, and how it is adapted to suit the local socio-cultural and economic extent of Asean member states.

He also said that the success of the programme plays an important role in the bigger framework of Asean, and that it is important to share the best practices and lessons learnt between the countries involved so that eventually it can be successfully replicated and expanded nation-wide and be institutionalised at the regional level.

Meanwhile, HelpAge Korea President Cho Hyun Se said that due to the increase in caring needs for older people, HelpAge Korea has introduced the Volunteer-Based Home Programme in the Asean region since 2003 under the ROK-Asean Cooperation Project, which aims to reduce the risk of neglecting the care of older people and sharing the burden of family caregivers at home.

During the meeting, representatives from each country comprising social service officers, health service officers and non-government organisations (NGO) will be presenting reports on their respective countries.

Brunei Darussalam is represented by an officer from the Department of Community Development, an officer from the Ministry of Health and a volunteer.

Additionally, they will also exchange feedback from a field visit today, where participants will be divided into three groups to visit the homes of three chosen golden citizens residing in Kuala Belait, Kg Tanah Jambu and Rimba Flat. -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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