Several activities to support and care for elderly women

Nha Trang City Women's Association at all levels has implemented several models to support elderly members in various ways, helping the needy to overcome barriers in life and improve their living standards.

74- year-old Tran Thi Yen whose husband passed away nearly 10 years ago is staying with her 48-year-old son suffering from schizophrenia in Phuoc Hoa Ward. Her youngest daughter is living far in Ho Chi Minh City. Therefore, despite her old age, she takes care of her sick son alone.

Every month, the Women's Association of Vinh Thai Commune coordinates with the commune Health Station to provide blood pressure and cardiovascular monitoring for the elderly.

Members of Hoan Kiem Women's Association Branch and Intergenerational Self-Help Club usually help with taking aging patients to doctor, doing household chores, etc. Reportedly, helping elderly women is a regular task of Hoan Kiem Women's Association Branch and Intergenerational Self-Help Club in implementing the model "Health care and support for elderly women".

According to Nguyen Thi Thu Cuc, Chief of Hoan Kiem Women's Association Branch, the model has been developed since August 2022 with 52 members, including 26 elderly women. The members not only provide home care for 5-6 lonely elderly people aged 74 to 95 on the 24th of every month but also organize regular spiritual activities for the elderly. Every 6 months, the association and club coordinate with Phuoc Hoa Ward Elderly Association and Medical Station to provide health checks for members. 

Vinh Thai Commune Women's Association jointly with the Commune Elderly Association has developed the "Intergenerational Women give mutual support" model in the 2 villages of Thai Thong 1 and Thai Thong 2 since 2023 to help those in need. Currently, the model has 50 members. Young members help with getting monthly blood pressure medicines, making home visits and giving gift aids to the elderly.

According to Dang Thi Kim Duyen, Chairperson of the commune Women's Association every quarter, the association organizes spiritual activities that benefit and promote the well-being of the elderly. The Association also coordinates with the Commune Health Station to provide monthly blood pressure and cardiovascular monitoring for the elderly; coordinate with the French-Vietnamese Nha Trang Eye Clinic to provide ocular examination to female members aged 60 and over; facilitate family members with the elderly to access loans from the Association of the Elderly's projects for family economic development.

In Vinh Nguyen Ward, the model "Elderly women give mutual support in saving" is implemented by women's association branches every year. Pham Thi Bich Huong, Head of Truong Son Women's Association 1 said: "The association has more than 130 members, of whom 80% are retired. With their pensions, the members get involved in rotating capital VND1 million/person/month to help the disadvantaged to maintain small businesses and stabilize their lives. In addition, members also contribute and deposit VND500,000 - 5 million/person at the Bank for Social Policies. The interest received every year is used to buy health insurance for disadvantaged elderly women with 12 health insurance cards offered so far. Thanks to the support, many local elderly women have helped to overcome challenges and have income to take care of their families.

According to Dinh Thi Hang Nga, Chairwoman of Nha Trang City Women's Union, based on the actual geriatric health care, the union at all levels has implemented many activities to support and attract elderly women members. In the coming time, the union will further promote support for elderly members to stay healthy, physically and mentally.

C.T

Translated by N.T