Full care for senior citizens in the UAE .. and “our blessing” the latest gains

The UAE continues to strengthen the system of supporting and sponsoring “senior citizens”, in a way that guarantees them a decent life, and to maintain their position in society to benefit from their necessary experiences and knowledge, to move forward with the process of sustainable development.

Yesterday, the initiative “Our blessing” launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, may God protect him, yesterday, is a qualitative addition to the gains of the care system of senior citizens, as the initiative that supervises the implementation of the community development department – Abu Dhabi aims to cooperate with the Family Development Foundation and a number of bodies and institutions concerned with the social sector in the emirate, to enhance the efficiency of providing home care necessary for senior citizens in appropriate family conditions Stable and healthy between their children and members of their families.

The initiative is of great importance in terms of consolidating family ties, as it will develop an integrated community services system that contributes to alleviating life burdens, and enhances the ability of individuals to care for their families from senior citizens efficiently, by providing the necessary support to children and family members to achieve a balance between their personal, professional and social responsibilities.

The interest in the great citizens start from humanitarian and civilizational foundations and values ​​for the Emirati society, whose members are brought up to respect the generation of parents and grandparents and appreciate their sacrifices and contributions to the path of building the homeland.

According to the global report for happiness 2024, the great citizens are the happiest category in the UAE.

Since the establishment of the Union State in 1971, the gains of “senior citizens” have been continuing and their role in public life is increasing, confirming the human, cultural and civilizational dimension of Emirati society, amid continuous support and care from the rational leadership in the country.

Federal
The UAE government has adopted Federal Law No. 9 of 2019 regarding the rights of senior citizens, which stipulated that the term senior citizens applies to everyone who holds the nationality of the UAE and reached sixty years.

The law aims to ensure that senior citizens enjoy the basic rights and freedoms guaranteed by the constitution, information and services related to their rights and provide psychological, social and health care and stability for them.

The law guarantees senior citizens the right to independence and privacy in a way that includes their right to take decisions related to their property, money, place of residence, etc., and the right to protect against exposure to violence, abuse and neglect, the right to the qualified environment, housing, education and work, the right to obtain social services through the institutions of senior citizens, clubs, community centers and mobile care units, and the right to health care by providing health and preventive care, Providing health insurance, home nursing and supporting devices, the right to maintain the confidentiality of their information and data and not to be disclosed except under the law.

The law also guarantees senior citizens the right to preferential treatment, and this includes making the interest of senior citizens a priority of Maha was the interests of other parties in everything related to housing requests, the completion of government transactions, access to aid, health services and others.

National policy
The UAE launched the national policy for the great citizens that adopted the naming of senior citizens, instead of naming the elderly as senior in experience, sincerity, and their inexhaustible giving to the homeland.
Politics included four strategic goals, and seven major axes are health care, community communication, active life, investment of energies, civil participation, infrastructure, transportation, financial stability, security, safety and future quality of life, as well as more than 26 initiatives and an innovative project.

Health care
Senior citizens in the UAE have perfect health care, and the Ministry of Health and Community Protection has launched many initiatives to support health care for the elderly, including creating a database to monitor the expected age for the elderly in the country and expand health care programs.

The Emirates Health Services Foundation provides mobile clinics service in many regions of the country, and it is equipped with the necessary equipment and medical staff to provide treatment and consulting services that include dental treatment services, medical laboratory services, physical therapy, diabetes treatment, and other services.

Preferential
Senior citizens in the UAE have preferential treatment in the official authorities so that they have priority in providing services and completing transactions, and their own positions are determined in the most frequent places, and the equipment for senior citizens is available in public transport and transportation, and other preferential services that are added by the ministries and competent authorities.

Future procedures
The Ministry of Family intends to implement a package of procedures to develop the quality of services provided to the elderly, especially in aspects that represent a direct challenge for them, such as electronic services, comprehensive health care, community participation, and updating personal data, and the ministry also seeks to launch a reliable phone service “auxiliary line for senior citizens, to update their data without the need to go to centers or the use of the Internet.