The Holy Family Home for the Elderly, an elderly care home that provides homecare, feeding and medical attention for the aged and vulnerable parents, has applauded the mobility aids donated by the Rotary Club, District 9110, Lagos, aimed at alleviating the sufferings of the elderly, sick and people living with disabilities.
The mobility aids donated to the elderly home ranges from wheelchairs, walking sticks to specialty walkers.
The coordinator, Holy Family Home for the Elderly, Sister Anthonia Adebowale, while receiving the mobility aids in Lagos, said the donation is timely, as majority of their mobility aids have worn out.
Adebowale disclosed that there are 15 elderly residents living in the elderly home, of which majority of them have been abandoned by their families.
“We take good care of them, providing everything that they need including mobility aids. We try to make this place a home away from home. However, the Nigerian economic downside is also affecting us. Most of the elderly have been abandoned by their relatives. We now rely on philanthropists to assist us, which is not always available,” she said.
The coordinator disclosed that almost all the elderly are in need of mobility aids, adding that one major challenge facing the elderly home is fund. Explaining further, she said, “Old age comes with disabilities. Most of our residents cannot walk, they need mobility assistance like the ones donated by Rotary Club, but they are quite expensive.
“For instance, one wheelchair cost about N75,000, Adebowale said, adding that, “Out of the 15 residents living with us, at least 10 of them need mobility aids. We cannot buy for all of them, hence the reason I said this donation is timely. We are so grateful to Rotary Club, Lagos for coming to our aids. I am also using this medium to call on other organisations and philanthropists to follow the steps of Rotary Club.”
One of the beneficiaries of the mobility aids, known as ‘Iya Bukola,’ however applauded Rotary Club, Lagos, for donating the mobility aids to the elderly home, adding that these are stronger than the ones they were using.
According to her, majority of them can no longer walk, and as such, would need assistance that will aid their movement. “For instance, one of us have stroke. I know one of the wheelchairs donated by Rotary Club, Lagos, will be given to her. I cannot thank the Club enough. We are truly grateful for this timely gifts,” she stated.
In his opening remarks, the director of Rotary Foundation, Rotarian UK Eke, disclosed that Rotary Club was founded with the sole aim of assisting the needy in the society, adding that from literacy, peace resolution, maternal and child health to water, health, sanitation and hygiene, the club is always working to better the world.
Eke however applauded the Holy Family Home for the Elderly, for taking care of the elderly in the society, adding that, the mobility aids was given to the elderly home, as efforts to complement what it is already doing.
In the same vein, the president, Rotary Club of Lagos, Rotarian Joseph Akhigbe, commended the elderly home for helping elderly Nigerians, adding that, “We are here today because we know the elderly in your home, would benefit from the mobility aids being donated by Rotary Club of Lagos, District 9110 in conjunction with Crutches 4 Africa.”
