The violation of the human rights of adults is a constant in the various contexts, which must not only be addressed by the institutions but also by the citizens themselves. The panorama of this population, despite the various efforts, is always unfortunate, since there should not be a single unfortunate case and, on the contrary, older adults should have a dignified old age.
DIARIO DEL HUILA, CITY
By: Johan Edward Rojas Lopez
For this reason, the Neiva Mayor’s Office, from the Social Development and Inclusion Secretariat, has been making every effort, according to the head of portfolio, to dignify the lives of those completely vulnerable older adults and raise awareness among families about the issue. In turn, the Municipal Ombudsman indicated that the outlook is worrisome given that the development plan in this line has been partially fulfilled and efforts are still lacking in favor of this community.
René Giobanny Jiménez Cobos, Secretary of Social Development and Inclusion of Neiva, pointed out that 2022 was a very productive year on the issue of the elderly because an investment of approximately $5,600 million was made per stamp, of which 70% was allocated to life centers and 30% to long-term centers.
They currently have five life centers where various activities were carried out that include more aspects than many imagine, that is, not only food is distributed, but psychosocial support is also provided.
“We got to give more than 60 thousand rations served to our older adults. We delivered 2,200 food kits in rural areas. I know that on the rural issue it has been a bit complex due to accessibility, but at the end of the year there was a commitment from our mayor Gorky Muñoz Calderón and it has been to give all the attention to our older adults. We were able to deliver two food kits to the elderly population, there were 1,100 beneficiaries; several were left out because the population is quite large, ”explained the head of the portfolio.
During this process, the oversight of the elderly and the Neiva Ombudsman’s office were monitored. This is how they took 19 points in the rural area, added to the five points of life centers, however, the Council of Neiva authorized the creation of 25 satellites in the communal booths or some houses of the leaders to impact 30 more older adults.
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You can always improve
Despite this considerable progress, the Secretary of Social Development and Inclusion of Neiva acknowledges that there are many points to improve, including the budget.
Thus, he explained that, “What the municipal administration wants is for them to have a dignified old age. We know that our older adults represent not only our past, but also our present and future, they have been the foundation of our society and, therefore, we must provide them with all our support so that they have that dignified old age.”
However, such is the progress that, in long-term centers, the quotas were expanded, going from 25 in 2019 to 63 today. In other words, that number of older adults are in the care of the Neiva Mayor’s Office, but beware, they are not only provided with lodging and food, but all the support they require is offered.
“Unfortunately, a large part of those we have in long-term centers are bedridden and specialized personnel are required to provide them with a dignified old age. At this moment we have to make it clear that the responsibility is not only the mayor’s office, nor the government, but that the family also has a responsibility,” said Jiménez Cobos.
He also stated that many citizens, contrary to what is dictated by Law 1850 of 2017, do not assume their responsibility and leave everything in the hands of government entities. In addition, it makes it clear that territorial entities should only answer for the population that is totally vulnerable, that is, those with few resources, who do not have a support network and really need help.
Called the judges
Precisely one of the biggest concerns that is not adequately prioritized and currently, there are more than 40 people totally on the waiting list for a quota for long-term centers, which has been filled, by order of the judges, with older adults who do have families, but unfortunately do not want to answer.
He specified that, “We have many older adults who are in this situation and today we want this call to the judges and the entities that have received these guardianships or demands, so that they are clear that the first obligation must be the family as expressed by law because Many cases have placed us older adults who have a fairly extensive family support network and that the State is assuming the responsibility of that adult, really taking away a space or a place for a totally vulnerable older adult.”
a tight postponed
The economic investment is quite fundamental, because despite the fact that the Neiva Mayor’s Office would like the elderly to be able to eat every day, unfortunately the money is not enough for this purpose. It is that feeding the nearly 4,800 older adults registered in life centers would require an investment of about $900 billion; This is without even counting the distribution to bring food to each of the points and the other edges that surround this program.
“At this moment the economic resource is already available, but we don’t know how it will turn out because the contract has not been signed. “We are talking about an average of approximately $5.400 million, which will be directed at the life centers, high level and the farm, a place where older adults would harvest products and the goal is to be productive for them. The goal is to start with that contract as soon as possible ”, he deepened.
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Infringement
As expressed to the Neiva Mayor’s Office, the work has been complex, in addition, because many are not willing to receive the help provided. Last year they received about 82 cases of abandonment and so far this year no appeal has been filed. This is also because the cases occur seasonally, especially between March and August. However, the violation of the human rights of the elderly is constant because many are attacked and abandoned by their families.
Thus, he concluded that, “A mobile phone was created that is a psychosocial team that is loose throughout Neiva to respond to the call of citizens about an older adult in a vulnerable state or some risk situation. These professionals review that situation and make decisions.”
Tracing
Wilson Díaz Sterling, Ombudsman of Neiva, in turn, argued that the panorama of older adults in Neiva is worrisome given the social and family abandonment to which some are subjected. “The Mayor’s Office has been deploying some programs to serve them, but the food rations delivered in some life centers are sometimes scarce since they are given 3 rations a week. It should be noted that family groups have a lot of responsibility in caring for the elderly.”
In the Public Ministry, they constantly receive cases of abandonment of older adults of different kinds. The elderly are taken for treatment of their diseases and once they are discharged, the relatives refuse to receive them back in their homes, therefore, they leave them abandoned, having to go to the clinics to activate abandonment routes. This is how they are treating around eight older adults monthly for the different cases of abandonment and violation of their rights, with abandonment being a constant in clinics and hospitals during the month of December 2022.
“We estimate that the Neiva Mayor’s Office has partially complied, it is necessary to work more with the organizations and groups caring for the elderly, support the programs they carry out, implement a more rigorous public policy on the responsibility of the close family nucleus of adults older so that they do not abandon them and remain unprotected by their family; We also believe that a more rigorous control of the current resources and programs that have been implemented in the municipality of Neiva must be carried out”, said the City Ombudsman.
Luis Fernando Quevedo, president of the council for the elderly, said that, at the moment, there are 14 councilors from the 10 communes, only 8 do not have them and the rest correspond to the corregimientos, who, although they highlight the work of the institutionality, hope that many things improve, specifically from the national order.
Finally, what is clear is that in the national context homicides, transport events, accidents and subsidies for this population are increasing compared to 2021.