Older Persons Act, 2006 (Act No. 13 of 2006)RegulationsRegulations Regarding Older Persons, 2010Chapter 4 : Protection for Older Persons20. Measures to promote rights of older persons |
| (1) | Every service provider providing a community-based care and support service and every operator of a residential facility must have measures in place to promote the rights of older persons, which includes— |
| (a) | access awareness and educational programmes in the residential facility, and other services that will facilitate understanding of ageing issues and create awareness that ageing is a natural process; |
| (b) | protection of older persons from any form of abuse such as neglect, ill treatment and financial exploitation; |
| (c) | access to care and support services; |
| (d) | training of older persons, their family, the public and staff on the rights of older persons; and |
| (e) | access to information pertaining to matters that affect older persons such as financial management, the provision of services and the management of services. |
| (2) | Every operator must display the following documentation in a prominent place so that all residents, family members and visitors to the residential facility can see them: |
| (a) | Registration certificate; |
| (b) | complaints procedure for the residential facility; |
| (c) | contact details of the operator; |
| (d) | contact details of the national and relevant provincial Departments of |
| (e) | Social Development and Health; |
| (f) | telephone numbers of toll-free help-lines and emergency services; |
| (g) | the Act and these Regulations; |
| (h) | the Charter on the Rights of Older Persons; and |
| (i) | the operator's Business or Management Plan. |
| (3) | No person may in any manner prevent or attempt to prevent an older person from exercising any of his or her rights under section 7 of the Act. |
| (4) | An older person must be encouraged by all relevant structures to report any violation of his or her rights to them, which includes a service provider, an operator, a manager, a residents' committee, the South African Human Rights Commission and local authorities. |