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You will also become old, so let’s support older persons in our society — Geriatrician

By Francis Appiah || Contributor
Social News You will also become old, so lets support older persons in our society — Geriatrician
OCT 1, 2022 LISTEN

Consultant Geriatrician, Dr Nana Phyllis Tawiah has appealed to the younger generation in Ghana to realize that ageing is a natural process everyone is bound to experience.

She said there is the need to support those elderly people who have contributed in diverse ways in society.

According to Dr Nana Phyllis Tawiah who is also the queen mother of Aninkroma in the Atwima Nwabiagya North district of the Ashanti region, the elderly have suffered from widespread perceptions that they are non-productive and worthless in modern society.

She noted that Ghanaians should be educated to understand that the elderly are in no way a burden on society.

"It was, therefore, important to create a cordial atmosphere between the young and old to ensure the comfort of not only the elderly but also to guarantee the wellbeing of the current youthful generation in their old age," she said.

Dr Nana Tawiah, who is the Director at the Centre for Ageing for Elderly Care at Metro Health Hospital in Kumasi, was speaking on OTEC FM’s breakfast show on Friday September 30, 2022 to celebrate the 2022 International Day for Older Persons under the theme “The Resilience and Contributions of Older Women.”

It is marked to highlight both the opportunities and the challenges that ageing presents.

Dr Nana Tawiah noted that older women continue to meaningfully contribute to the socio-economic development of the country and therefore they must not be ignored. “Elderly women can be engaged in home management like cooking, security when the homes are quiet, care for grandchildren among others as ways making them active.”

She told the programme’s host Captain Koda that “Inasmuch as they are been actively engaged through activities, it also serves as financial platforms for them to make them financial freedom.”

Dr Nana Tawiah, who is also a lecturer at the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the KNUST passionately appealed to the public to visit and spend time with them.

“By visiting, you get the assurance that they are safe, healthy, and check around if they have issues that may need to be addressed to ease their stress,” she stated.

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