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Dubai: Elderly citizens living alone in Dubai will now receive improved home-care services and easy access to transport services so that they are assured timely medical care and safe living conditions, officials said on Sunday.
Dubai’s Community Development Authority (CDA) on Sunday signed an agreement with the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) to collaborate on improving the living standards of elderly citizens and encourage volunteers to help this segment of society.
The agreement will primarily focus on CDA’s ‘Waleef’ programme, an initiative launched in 2011, which provides home care to elderly Emiratis living alone in Dubai. The partnership between the two agencies gives CDA access to the ambulance services’ fourth-generation smart infrastructure to document and follow up on cases, as well as in its decision-making process. It will also facilitate transport for older citizens registered with the programme to their medical appointments at clinics and hospitals across Dubai by Dubai Ambulance.
As part of the programme, CDA will create a database of elderly Emiratis across Dubai, detailing their personal information, medical history and health condition to provide them the services they need.
Ahmad Abdul Karim Julfar, CDA’s Director-General, said the partnership with the ambulance services is a significant step forward in CDA’s strategic plan to upgrade services for all segments of society in Dubai.
“We want to offer them [elderly] top-notch services that adhere to international best practices. Furthermore, we are looking to promote volunteer work within the community, and to guide volunteers to channel their energy towards serving vulnerable groups — most notably, older persons,” Julfar said.
Khalifa Hassan Al Darai, Executive Director of DCAS, said the corporation is keen to cooperate with CDA and all government entities in guaranteeing a decent lifestyle for the elderly. The partnership is in line with the enhancement of social responsibility towards the elderly in all sectors of society.
Mariam Al Hammadi, director of senior services at CDA, said that the 99 elderly Emiratis who are already in the Waleef programme will benefit from the collaborative efforts.
“Those who are in the Waleef programme are elderly Emiratis living alone and who don’t have a relative or family member who can take care of them. The elderly in this age needs urgent intervention to give them the right services on time,” Al Hammadi told Gulf News.
“The ambulance staff can give the right help to the elderly if they need it in between travelling from their house to clinics and hospitals and vice-versa,” she added.
Al Hammadi said that they are also encouraging the public and different organisations to volunteer for the Waleef programme. Part of the task is to read books to the elderly, assist them with their chores and spend time with them.
Dubai’s Community Development Authority (CDA) on Sunday signed an agreement with the Dubai Corporation for Ambulance Services (DCAS) to collaborate on improving the living standards of elderly citizens and encourage volunteers to help this segment of society.
The agreement will primarily focus on CDA’s ‘Waleef’ programme, an initiative launched in 2011, which provides home care to elderly Emiratis living alone in Dubai. The partnership between the two agencies gives CDA access to the ambulance services’ fourth-generation smart infrastructure to document and follow up on cases, as well as in its decision-making process. It will also facilitate transport for older citizens registered with the programme to their medical appointments at clinics and hospitals across Dubai by Dubai Ambulance.
As part of the programme, CDA will create a database of elderly Emiratis across Dubai, detailing their personal information, medical history and health condition to provide them the services they need.
Ahmad Abdul Karim Julfar, CDA’s Director-General, said the partnership with the ambulance services is a significant step forward in CDA’s strategic plan to upgrade services for all segments of society in Dubai.
Khalifa Hassan Al Darai, Executive Director of DCAS, said the corporation is keen to cooperate with CDA and all government entities in guaranteeing a decent lifestyle for the elderly. The partnership is in line with the enhancement of social responsibility towards the elderly in all sectors of society.
Mariam Al Hammadi, director of senior services at CDA, said that the 99 elderly Emiratis who are already in the Waleef programme will benefit from the collaborative efforts.
“Those who are in the Waleef programme are elderly Emiratis living alone and who don’t have a relative or family member who can take care of them. The elderly in this age needs urgent intervention to give them the right services on time,” Al Hammadi told Gulf News.
“The ambulance staff can give the right help to the elderly if they need it in between travelling from their house to clinics and hospitals and vice-versa,” she added.
Al Hammadi said that they are also encouraging the public and different organisations to volunteer for the Waleef programme. Part of the task is to read books to the elderly, assist them with their chores and spend time with them.
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