CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (FEBRUARY 18, 2009) -- Mrs. Mazie Webbe a Senior Citizen of Brown Hill praised Minister of Social Development Hon. Hensley Daniel and the staff of the Department of Social Services for their special attention to the island’s seniors.
She told the Department of Information on Wednesday that the programmes tailored towards the wellbeing of the senior citizens made her happy and that she attended the senior citizens gathering every Wednesday at the Mandela Community Centre at Cole Hill.
“I am enjoying this programme very much. I come up here every Wednesday when they come for us.
“I think the session today is a good thing it will help the older folks in the community. Let me thank Hensley Daniel for everything and Mrs. Gardener and for what they do and I am not ashamed because I am not afraid of nobody… Oh yes the programme is very good I learn a lot of things,” she said.
With regard to a lecture on the importance of a will that was presented by Legal Counsel at the Legal Department Mr. Leroy Jones she said “The man speaks well he really speak well because when people dead and so forth and they don’t leave any will you know what happens. Family begin to fight and what not and that is really true.”
Coordinator of the Senior Citizens Division at the Department of Social Services Mrs. Susan Gardener said the seniors gathered every Wednesday from 10am to 1pm. On some days they would be lectured on various topics while on other days they would be engaged in craft, play games or physical activity which included short walks.
She said the programme had been well received by the seniors in the community but the day’s lecture about wills had brought out more seniors.
Mrs. Gardner said she had come up with the idea of that particular topic because the Social Services Department had received calls to give care to some seniors in the community some had property and were in need of home care and needed to be cared for at the Flamboyant Home.
“The thought hit me, why don’t we do something where the seniors would know their rights and what they can do to help themselves in the future that would help them to get better care,” she said.
Meantime during a break Mr. Jones said the lecture had so far been well received and pointed to a number of critical matters he discussed with the seniors on the importance of having a will and the dangers of not having one.
“I am going to go on to explain what a will is; making a will which is on sound mind; signatures; who should be present etc…
“They understand clearly, they certainly engage, they are laughing their heads of…I am trying my very best to relate to them and bring it down to an ordinary level…They are given the opportunity to take their time and ask questions. When the words are long and not understood by them I would stop and explain to them in street language, I am using the legal term I am using the lay term and so forth,” he explained.
