Elderly people in Salima district have pleaded for more support as they are going through difficult times. The elderly people say they lack a lot of things in their lives and it is making their lives hard.
They made the call when a youth led organisation called Purple Inc visited them to assess their mental health and also provide charity services.
Speaking to Malawi24 Gogo Rosemary said as elderly people they are struggling with feelings of loneliness and isolation and also lack of some basic needs.
She then asked well-wishers to support with them with different basic needs and also support them mentally.
She pleaded with the community to stop isolating them just because they are older people because they also want love and care from them just like anybody else.
In her remarks Maziko Kawale, Founder and Executive director for Purple Inc said they are doing a project which aims at understanding the mental health challenges faced by the elderly people and also offer support through charitable initiatives.
According to Kawale, they visited 15 elderly women at Sengabay Primary School to interact and provide them with the necessary assistance and support.
“During the reach out, we visited 15 elderly women. We learnt that they need care round-the-clock and support. We interacted with the women, engaging in conversations to understand their mental well-being and any challenges they might be facing. It was heartwarming to see the joy on their faces as they shared their life experiences and stories with us. However, we also noticed that some elderly individuals were struggling with feelings of loneliness and isolation, which could have a negative impact on their mental health,” said Kawale.
According to Kawale, during their visit they also noted that these elderly people experience depression, anxiety and stress likely from the lack of social interactions .
As part of their reach out, they also organised charity initiatives to gift and improve the quality of life for the elderly people.
“With the help from our dearly sponsors, we were able to shower them with essential items such as clothing, sugar, salt, chitenje and tablets of soaps. We also arranged for group activities and entertainment sessions to uplift their spirits by singing songs and dancing. It was inspiring to witness the positive impact of these initiatives on the mental well-being of the elderly individuals,” said Kawale.
