A waiver on water bills, old age pension and free crossings on government ferries are among the services provided for Guyana’s elderly through the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security.
The ministry also has a special unit which deals with elderly folks living under difficult circumstances, Chief Probation and Social Services Welfare Officer of the ministry Patricia Gray said in a telephone interview with Stabroek News.
While, the ministry has direct responsibility for the smooth running of the Palms geriatric home, she said, other privately-run senior citizens’ homes also receive assistance from the ministry from time to time.
According to Gray, apart from the Palms, social workers from the Human Services Ministry also visit the other old folks’ homes and hand-deliver their pensions so that they do not have to go to the various post offices to uplift same.
Old age pension, payable to Guyanese citizens 65 years and over, who are ordinarily resident in Guyana, is different from the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) pension, in that the former is paid as an entitlement, while the latter is payable on monetary contributions made to the NIS.
Gray said forms to enrol for old age pension are available at the Human Services Ministry and must be accompanied by a national identification card and birth certificate. Each pensioner is paid the sum of $6,300 on a monthly basis.
Free health care services are provided for the elderly at the Georgetown Public Hospital and nurses stationed at the Palms on a daily basis will also render on-the-spot care as needed. Gray said that if further treatment is needed, then the ambulance is called in to transport patients to the public hospital.
She added that on designated days of the week, doctors would make visits to the Palms in order to provide medical services to the inmates there. These services are provided to privately run homes as well and Gray said that though at times they may be paid for by the administration of the homes, the means are at times a collaborative effort with the ministry.
All senior citizens can benefit from the ‘Difficult Circumstances Unit’, Gray said, whether they are inmates of the Palms, other geriatric homes or live on their own or with relatives. However, she said the unit mostly offers welfare services to needy seniors who prefer to live in their own homes or with their relatives and need assistance from time to time.
Gray said there are many instances where seniors would contact the ministry explaining that they have a house in which to live but need furnishings, clothing or appliances among other items.
She said that these are all areas in which assistance is rendered, adding that welfare officers would visit them from to time to time.
Gray said that occasional donations of clothing and other necessities are made to other old peoples’ homes along with medication and pampers among other items.
Seniors aged 65 years and over are also entitled to waivers on their water bills if the meter is in their names. Those in Georgetown receive an annual waiver of $11,880, while for those outside the city the waiver is $8,530. If their bills exceed these amounts, pensioners are responsible for paying the difference.
Gray said they are also afforded the opportunity of using the Transport and Harbours ferry services free of cost once they produce their national identification cards.
According to her, there are not many areas lacking provision of welfare services for the elderly, however, there are times when seniors would call the department to make various requests; to ensure that their old-age pensions will be paid on time and to ensure waiver on the water bills.
She said senior citizens have also been calling for free passes to use public road transportation and for waiver assistance to offset electricity rates.
While the ministry would have a “far way to go” to provide such services, Gray said, these are areas that will be looked at by the administration as it, “seeks out ways and means to better serve the needs of the elderly.”
With the assistance received from the government, relatives of those seniors in homes and many charitable organizations, the chief probation officer concluded, the ministry “is able to remain steadfast to the provision of welfare services for not only the elderly, but all in need of it.”
October was designated ‘Month of the Elderly’.
