Sharjah Launches 5th Cycle Of Age-Friendly Institutions Initiative, Expanding Elderly Care
The Sharjah Social Services Department has rolled out the participation guide for the fifth cycle of its Age-Friendly Institutions Initiative under the "Sharjah Age-Friendly Programme." This innovative initiative calls upon governmental, private, and semi-governmental bodies to contribute by crafting programmes and services tailored for the elderly. The goal is to simplify their daily routines and foster their integration into the community. This effort aligns with the eight standards of the Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities, a network Sharjah joined in 2017. Prospective entrants have from May 14 until the end of June to apply through the programme's website, with the results being announced on October 1, the International Day of Older Persons, following a series of evaluative visits.
Asmaa Al Khodari, the Director of the Sharjah Age-Friendly Programme, highlighted the initiative's success since its launch in 2020. To date, it has acknowledged 39 institutions across Sharjah and the Eastern and Central regions as age-friendly, with reevaluations occurring triennially. To achieve this recognition, institutions must satisfy 80% of the designated standards, which prioritize engineering environments, services, facilities, and social empowerment to cater to the elderly. Al Khodari's vision is to motivate all institutions to modify and improve their offerings to meet the elderly's needs effectively.
The criteria for attaining the age-friendly designation are stringent, focusing on engineering specifications and service excellence standards that benefit not only the elderly but also other community segments, like individuals with disabilities. This strategy promotes social integration and active aging by enhancing opportunities for inclusion and participation.
For institutions eager to partake, meeting 80% of the relevant standards is a prerequisite, along with satisfying basic evaluation criteria. Failure to do so results in participation revocation. The evaluation committee undertakes in-person assessments of the institutions. Institutions that relocate or open new branches are welcome to reapply and are permitted to use the recognition's images and logos for promotional purposes.
The initiative's foundation rests on three strategic pillars: sustainability, ensuring the longevity of programmes and activities; equality, engaging with the elderly based on fairness and justice; and advocacy, championing the narrative of Sharjah as an age-friendly city.
By identifying and recognizing age-friendly institutions and facilities, the Sharjah Age-Friendly Cities Programme aspires to create a sustainable and inclusive environment that caters to the elderly's diverse needs. This initiative not only reaffirms Sharjah's commitment to the WHO's Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities but also supports the strategic plan of the Sharjah Age-Friendly City Programme. Its goals extend to enhancing participating institutions' readiness to meet the elderly's needs and raising public awareness about elderly care best practices, thereby acknowledging the contributions of institutions that have adapted their services to be more age-friendly.
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