Facilities available for the aged in the community

• Recreational hall: Where they can meet to watch things, play games and discuss freely with each other.
• Health institution: Health center where they can go for treatment or for checkups etc.
• Home garden: They can exercise themselves with this.
• Adult day center:
• Day center: Many local authorities and voluntary bodies provide day care center which elderly people can visit during the day.
• Hand craft centers:
• Associations: E.g religious, Red cross, age grade association. They assist financially and morally in the care of the aged.
• Good neighborhood scheme: In the scheme individual agrees to call on elderly person living close to him/her to assist them in simple task e.g shopping, light house work, light the fire and simple cooking.
• Provision of rails: To enable those who cannot walk to move little in their houses.
• Wheel vendor: Provide cooked food for the elderly through the assistance of associations NGO individual e.g Danjuma Foundation, in Benin, Tomplo Foundation in Rivers State.
• Dormitories or hostels: Ageing is that period in life when body function begins to decline usually from 30yrs.

Residential care facilities and services for older persons

The guidelines for all residential care facilities for older persons namely:

1. Home for senior citizens
2. Nursing home/infirmary
3. Adult day care /recreation/rehabilitation centre
4. Convalescent homes.

Senior citizens home

Any facility where the operator provides boarding with food service for a group of three (3) or more older persons who are not related by blood or marriage.

Nursing home/infirmary

A care facility providing basic nursing care services in addition to domiciliary and custodial care; the operator has a satisfactory agreement with a physician for medical coverage.

Adult day care

An adult day care centre is a non residential facility offering supervised social activities during the day for persons who are aged and infirmed and need recreational and rehabilitative care.

Convalescent homes

Convalescent Homes are primarily designed to provide a home-like environment while patients recover from long term illnesses or medical procedures.

Residential Care Facilities and Services for older persons shall be governed by the Ministry of Social Development via utilization of the guidelines contained herein.

Objectives

1. To provide residential care facilities for those who, for personal, social, health and/or other reasons, are unable to live at home.
2. Establish residential care accommodation standards to monitor accommodation services in residential care facilities.
3. Establish Adult Day Care Centres where the elderly can come on a rostered basic for fellowship, recreation, rehabilitation and occupational therapy within their community.
4. Develop a cadre of trained personnel in geriatric care.
5. Ensure that all institutions which will cater for the elderly are equipped with warning devices, sprinklers, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and up-to-date disaster and emergency management plans.
6. Educate, train and update the skills of all care givers including family members and community support groups on quality of care issues.
7. Develop a Charter of Personal Rights and Responsibilities on Residential Care Facilities and Services for older persons.

Key considerations

1. The design of the building must be aesthetically pleasing and spacious enough to ensure protection of privacy.
2. Sites shall be easily accessible, and premises shall provide adequate space for parking of vehicles and an area for ambulance pick- ups.
3. Prospective applicants are advised to consult the Ministry of Social Development regarding the necessary registration requirements prior to submitting a formal application for planning permission.
4. The granting of planning permission for residential care facilities shall be restricted to the use for which it was intended.

The facilities will be monitored and evaluated through the creation of legislation, regulations, and the development of Accommodation Standards categorized under the following themes:

1. Physical Environment
2. Safety Services

iii. Dietetic Services

1. Residential Services
2. Coordination and Referral Services
3. Human Resources

vii. Management and Administration

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for admission to a home or facility for the aged, an applicant should be:

1. Sixty five (65) years and over.
2. Assessed to be suitable for admission to facilities for the aged through the Standardized Care Needs Assessment Mechanism for Services for Older Persons.
3. Experiencing a social or housing need and unable to live independently.
4. Assessed by a social worker.

Strategies

To ensure achievement of the above policy objectives and requirements the following strategies will be developed:

1. The establishment of more facilities as well as institutional care for older persons.
2. Ensure prospective proprietors build facilities to the required standard specification.
3. Comprehensive regulatory guidelines, standards and procedures for the registration and monitoring of residential care facilities for the elderly.
4. “Assisted living” housing schemes.
5. A cadre of supervisors and/or inspectors who would inspect periodically and/or annually facilities for older persons and thereby strengthen the scope and quality of care trained.
6. The regulatory framework for protecting the rights, dignity and well being of older persons.
7. A Registration Committee to assess proposals, monitor and evaluate all residential care facilities and services for the elderly, register and/or certify the facility, and enforce statutory provisions.