Entry Instance

HTTP 200 OK
Allow: GET, PUT, PATCH, DELETE, HEAD, OPTIONS
Content-Type: application/json
Vary: Accept

{
    "id": 360156,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/360156/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "proportion of population that is elderly, indicating that we are going to have a dependency problem, not only by the younger age, as we have now, but also at the other end of life. That is associated with a lot of problems; there is a changing pattern in life, particularly due to rural-urban migration. That is a problem in two ways. One, many elderly people are left alone in the rural areas, and many elderly people who move to the rural areas and do not move back get old. They are much worse off if they are old and poor in the urban areas. The other thing is the changing lifestyle. In our communities, children are really no longer looking after their elderly. I felt that those people who have means and do not support their families, we need a law that actually charges them with neglect, the way we do with our children. That is why their parents are left out. Those people are burdened by age. There is also a lot of discrimination against elderly people. There is generally increasing poverty. In our circumstances, many elderly people are now taking care of most of the orphans that are left by their parents due to HIV/AIDS. About two to three million orphans are being looked after. That problem has attracted a lot of concerns internationally. It was realized as far back as 1982 and there are UN conventions that we are party to. We have an African framework which was done in 2002 and an African Policy Framework that was done in 2008. In Kenya now, we have a policy framework that is being prepared; it is almost through. When it comes to this House, we should pass it. We should not look at it just in terms of the sick elderly persons being put in nursing homes. In fact, the policy framework should be much broader. If you look at bodies like NSSF, NHIF and pension schemes, they need to be broadened to take care of the elderly persons. The policy we have now looks at all areas, and it is soon coming here. It looks at the areas of access to safe and affordable care, access to health, access to food, non- discrimination and abuse of old people."
}