Institution to open centre for the elderly in Mzuzu
In a bid to promote the welfare of the elderly in Mzuzu City, St John of God Hospitaller Services has unveiled plans to open a centre for the elderly at Masasa Township in the city.
The Masasa Elderly Service Centre will be the second after Tovwilane Elderly Service Centre in Nkhorongo, north of the city.
assisting the elderly
According to St John of God, establishment of the institutions is aimed at increasing access to elderly people who, in most cases, are neglected in society.
St John of God Hospital Services programmes manager Mwawi N’goma said this on Friday at Nkhorongo Primary School ground during commemoration of the International Day of Elderly Persons her institution organised to celebrate the existence of Tovwilane Elderly Service Centre in Nkhorongo.
“We started programmes with the elderly in January this year [2015] and this was a pilot project, now we are opening another centre at Masasa,” she said.
According to N’goma, 133 beneficiaries have already been identified at Masasa after assessment.
He said St John of God conducts counselling, physiotherapy, nutritional care and, nursing and clinical services at the centres.
Mzuzu City member of Parliament (MP) Leonard Njikho was in attendance at the function. He commended St John of God Hospitaller Services for its programmes which address needs of the elderly, saying the initiative instils hope in elderly people.
