DCOA Celebrates Senior Citizens Month; DAPD Launches 5-Year Strategic Program

The Dominica Council on Ageing (DCOA) is celebrating the Month of the Elderly from September 1 to October 1 under the theme “The Elderly: Surviving the Pandemic”. The council has planned out various activities to celebrate senior citizens in Dominica but without the need to host any large gatherings because of the threats of the COVID-19 pandemic.

President of DCOA, Ophelia Marie, the council will raise increased awareness on matters related to aged folks in the country, and they will be collaborating with the media to enlighten people and share information about the elderly across Dominica.

Marie said the Minister for Senior Security and Dominicans with Disabilities, Dr. Adis King, will give a keynote address on September 1 and President Charles Savarin will deliver another speech on October 1 which is the International Day of Older Persons.

She credited old people with making things to happen within the home-front despite their physical vulnerabilities. She cited the roles of senior citizens in accommodating children during the coronavirus lockdown period – absorbing their noises, telling them folk stories, teaching them manners, and giving them relevance to aid their physical growth and mental development.

We owe a debt to the senior citizens. When we were children everyone in the village took care of us and therefore, we have to be cognizant of that fact and show that appreciation.

Ophelia Marie: President of DCOA

In the same vein, the Dominica Association of Persons with Disabilities (DAPD) is launching a 5-year Strategic Social and Personal Development Programme. This event is themed “Pursuing Social Inclusion, Access, and Equal Opportunities through Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities”. The 5-year programme was created with the input of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in view of the 2015-2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

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