PRESENTATION ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE OLDER

PERSONS ACT, 2006

19 FEBRUARY 2013

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INTRODUCTION

• The Older Persons Act, 2006 envisages to deal effectively with the plight of older persons by establishing a framework aimed at the empowerment and protection of older persons and at the promotion and maintenance of their status, rights, well-being, safety and security.

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FOCUS AREAS

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BACKGROUND

• Main objects of the Act are to –

- shift the emphasis from institutional care to community-

based care in order to ensure that older persons remain

in his or her home within the community for as long as

possible;

- regulate the registration, establishment and management

of services and the establishment and management of

residential facilities for older persons; and

- combat the abuse of older persons.

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DELEGATIONS OF POWERS

Premier

Minister

DG

MECs

HOD

OfficialOfficial

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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACT

LegislationReceipt of

Services by Older persons

Value Stream

All Organs of State

Social Workers

NGO’s

Uniform Approach

Co-ordinated Services

IntegratedServices

- Integrated Planning- Alignment Imperatives- Integration Imperatives- Prescription- Regulation- Establishment- Provision- Development- Monitoring- Evaluation

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CHAPTER 1

OBJECTS OF THE ACT

• Act stipulates uniform implementation

• The coordinating structure to ensure

uniform implementation of the Act

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PROGRESS

• Plans drawn with government Departments and roles clarification

• Provincial plans in place for the implementation of the Act

• Resources (officials, budget etc.) committed by provinces and some of the government department (Sports and Recreation) for implementation of some of the objects of the Act

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CHAPTER 2

CREATING AN ENABLING & SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

• The Act seeks to provide opportunities for the full development of potential and active participation of older persons on their issues

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PROGRESS

• Established the South African Older Persons Forum (SAOPF) nationally and in provinces (the voice of older persons).

• Established local forums to ensure participation from local level

• Established Older Persons Desks in the Provinces (KZN and Limpopo)

• Developed norms and standards, for services to older persons

• Continuous capacity building to stakeholders on the norms and standards

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PROGRESS cont.

• Charter on the Rights of Older Persons launched nationally and in provinces

• Guidelines for the implementation of the Older Persons Act, 2006

• Training manual for the implementation of the Act• Training manual for Caregivers developed• Translation of the Act into some of the languages• Held two annual Older Persons Conference

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CHAPTER 3COMMUNTY BASED CARE & SUPPORT SERVICES (CBCSS)

• Shift the emphasis from institutional care to community-based care in order to ensure that older persons remain in a home within the community for as long as possible;

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PROGRESS

• Conditionally Registered

- Service centres / established “Day Care Services”

- Frail care (home based care services)

- Community Base Care Services•Employed caregivers trained in Module One of the Manual

•Continuous assessment condition of the norms and standards for Community Based Services

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PROGRESS (Cont…)

• Preventative and promotion services

- Developed Active Ageing Programme

(e.g. Golden Games)

- Intergenerational Programme

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CHAPTER 4

RESIDENTIAL FACILITIES

Regulate the registration, establishment and

management of services and the establishment

and management of residential facilities for

older persons;

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PROGRESS

• Annual audit of 412 residential facilities for quality of service conducted and were conditionally registered

• Condition Assessment of 58 residential facilities undertaken and to identify infrastructural risks (Attached Report)

• Costed the assessment on residential facilities

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CHAPTER 5

PROTECTION FOR

OLDER PERSONS

The Act seeks to: • Promote and protect the rights of older

persons,• Create a safe environment• Deal effectively with elder abuse

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PROGRESS

• Trained provincial coordinators on the Protocol for the Management of Elder Abuse

• Funded the National Elder Abuse Line (HEAL)• Developed manual National Register for

reported cases of elder abuse • Trained caregivers on Alzheimer’s Disease and

related Dementia conditions in provinces• Business Requirements for the development of

electronic Older Persons Register finalised.

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CHALLENGES

• Insufficient funding for implementing the Act • Establishing Coordinating Body (Govt Departments and Municipalities) is a

challenge.• There are no dedicated personnel from Government Departments for

providing services to older persons• No dedicated personnel for the management and coordinating of older

persons services in the provinces• Infrastructure (residential facilities) dilapidated and risky for occupation

•

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CHALLENGES cont…

• Inaccurate or non reporting of cases of abuse of the Elderly by communities

• No budget to address areas identified in the report on Condition Assessment of Residential Facilities

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WAYFORWARD

• Amendment of the Older Persons Act, 2006

- Discussion document developed

- Consultation process initiated

• Ensure annual assessment of quality of service and registration of residential and community based facilities

• Negotiate with provinces to appoint monitors for services to older Persons

• Establishment of Older Persons Desk in all the provinces as an enabling and supportive structure for older persons 21

WAYFORWARD (Cont…)

• Seek funding to address the issues identified in the Condition Assessment Report

• Establishment of the Coordinating Body (Govt Departments) to play their roles in the implementing of the Older Persons Act.

• Finalise the development of Older Persons Register

• Establishment of local forums for older persons in provinces

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THANK YOU

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