During the celebration of the 19th foundation day of the Good Samaritan Senior Citizens (GSSC) Home on August 1, Neithonuo Liegise highlighted that the urgent need of funding and interventions for strengthening care for senior citizens in Nagaland.
Sharing the history of Good Samaritan Senior Citizens, Liegise said the home was established to care and love for senior citizens.
“We need creative program for our senior citizens where they can come and spend their time with their own age group,” shared Liegise expressing hope that the higher authority will look into the matter on urgent basis.
While appreciating the Social Welfare for old age pension, Liegise also addressed the need for separate funds and appealed the government to set up for them.
“We need to come up with bigger vision and policy which is useful and productive, meaningful for the senior citizens,” said Liegise.
The need to strengthen Senior citizens care in all districts was also addressed which requires good recreation centre, and healthy space for them to refresh their minds and keep them occupied. A proposal has already been submitted to the government in the past years, informed Liegise, however it has not materialised yet.
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Started in 2005, the Good Samaritan senior society received Grand in aid from the central government only for three years 2015-2018 and did not receive anymore. While appreciating the government for giving them the allotment to build their home, she also appealed the government to sanctioned a separate funding for their old age home as they have been neglected for quite sometime.
At present, GSSC Home has 23 members. Liegise also highlighted the need for Government to provide healthcare by sending part time Doctors and Nurses as many of the elderly people are delicate and need constant attention and medical care.
She appealed the government to create certain fund provision to support senior citizens. The Elderline helpline which was established in 2021 to assist the elderly people is not functioning properly, informed Liegise, highlighting that this was the only program the government introduced for senior citizens and it is not functioning properly.
She said they have a capacity for 25 bed but there is a need to expand more as there is an increase rate of elderly people left behind by their families specially the illegal immigrants and others and they cannot neglect those people too.
