Increase iTaukei in Age Homes

Currently, there are 119 residents in the three age care facilities in Suva, Lautoka and Labasa. iTaukei make up 18 per cent of the residents, Fijians of Indian descent 80 per cent and other ethnicities 2 per cent.

Former Welfare Department director Rupeni Fatiaki said this wasn’t the case for the iTaukei community before.

Mr Fatiaki had spent 22 years with the department, of which 10 years was as the director. He retired a year ago.

There are elderly people who voluntarily want to be in these age care Homes, while in extreme circumstances, the department receives cases that involve the physical and verbal abuse of elderly people.

The Department of Welfare classifies the elderly group from the age of 60 upwards.

A provision in

Act states that:

A person is liable to maintain his or her parent to the extent that the person is reasonably able to do so if and only if the parent is unable to support herself or himself adequately by reason of age or physical or mental incapacity for inappropriate gainful employment.

The Act also states that parents may take their child to court for neglect. However, the Ministry has not witnessed such case.

Perhaps, the Ministry of Social Welfare, Children and Poverty Alleviation needs to develop a legislation that specifically caters to the

nthe

Family Law needs and protection of our elders. Minister responsible Lynda Tabuya said there had been a significant increase in the demand and actual placements into the three age care facilities.

“On average there are around 49 enquiries for placements annually since 2016,” she said.

Mr Fatiaki said the department received calls almost daily from those who wanted to admit their elders into the Homes.

He said this was something that the department did not experience in the past, especially from the iTaukei community.

“The common belief is that we normally look after our elderly people, but times have changed. Maybe

Casework has proven that children have deviated from their responsibilities because of:

Unresolved relations childhood;

Nuclear family preference opposed to looking after elders;

Families going overseas with no one to look after their elders; Property ownership issue; and Having complications of care such as having certain disabilities, which require hands-on care. Including those who are psychologically challenged.

“Hence older persons are neglected, abandoned or abused physically, emotionally or financially.”

In addition, Mr Fatiaki said economic challenges were also a con

nnnGold Age Home Labasa: 23 placements in 2016, and highest placement in 2022 with nine placements. Golden Age Home Suva: 45 placements in 2016, and highest placement in 2023 with 9 placements.

in the rural communities that’s still going on, but in the towns and cities there is a breakdown in the nuclear family,” he said.

Minister for iTaukei Affairs Ifereimi Vasu said it was never part of the iTaukei culture to neglect our elders, instead respect was inculcated into an iTaukei at a young age.

He finds it surprising that the iTaukei community are resorting to age care Homes to support their elders.

“Before young people would give way to elders, respect their elders, but that’s no longer the case,” he said.

Mr Vasu said this was something they would look into to ensure that the iTaukei community were reminded of their roles and responsibilities toward their elders.

WHY HOMES?

Ms Tabuya said there were several issues relating to the increase in the number of placements in the Homes – one being on the basis of family dynamics.

GOLDEN AGE HOMES

since as tributing factor.

“When people struggle to make ends meet, often it can be seen as a burden to children, and if couples have children, they are not stable in their employment, that can be an issue. So, they push the old people into the Homes.”

Government invests an average of $0.5 million, inclusive of human resources cost, on the three Homes. However, between 2016 and 2022, this has increased from $0.9 million to $1.6 million.

“This comes with the validation on the needs of the Homes in terms of additional human resources, care service needs, special equipment and managing age old facilities for upgrade,” Ms Tabuya said. During his tenure as director, Mr Fatiaki said about $100,000 was for operational costs only.

“This is the operational budget for rations, upkeep of the place, medicine, and the daily running