Older Persons Act, 2006 (Act No. 13 of 2006)

Chapter 3 : Community-Based Care and Support Services for Older Persons

11. Community-based programmes for older persons

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(1)The Minister may, in collaboration with any relevant Minister or Member of the Executive Council in a province—
(a)develop community-based programmes that fall into two broad categories, namely—
(i)prevention and promotion programmes, which ensure the independent living of an older person in the community in which the older person resides; and
(ii)home-based care, which ensures that a frail older person receives maximum care within the community through a comprehensive range of integrated services.
(b)determine how any person who runs a programme contemplated in paragraph (a) may be supported, either financially or otherwise.

 

(2)The programmes contemplated in subsection (1) are programmes aimed at—
(a)economic empowerment of older persons;
(b)establishment of recreational opportunities for older persons;
(c)information, education and counselling services, including HIV and AIDS, care for orphans, Alzheimer’s, dementia and basic emergency care;
(d)spiritual, cultural, medical, civic and social services;
(e)provision of nutritionally balanced meals to needy older persons;
(f)promotion of skills and capacity of older persons to sustain their livelihoods;
(g)professional services, including care and rehabilitation to ensure independent living of older persons;
(h)appropriate services contained in the indigent policy for vulnerable and the utilisation and management of existing facilities for older persons as multi-purpose community centres;
(i)integrated community care and development systems for older persons; and
(j)qualifying older persons;
(k)inter-generational programmes.

 

(3)Home-based care programmes directed at frail older persons within the community may include—
(a)provision of hygienic and physical care of older persons;
(b)provision of professional and lay support for the care of older persons within the home;
(c)rehabilitation programmes that include provision of assisted devices;
(d)provision of respite care;
(e)information, education and counselling for family members, caregivers and the community regarding ageing and associated conditions; and
(f)provision of free health care to frail older persons and to other older persons determined by the Minister.