South Africa's elderly are often unable to access basic care and support services despite a legislative framework that is good on paper, says Human Rights Watch.
Elderly people who receive the Older Persons Grant may be eligible for a social security entitlement to cover the costs of full-time home-based care and support. The Grant-in-Aid is, however, woefully inadequate as it only provides 20 hours of full-time care and support per month, based on a caregiver receiving the national minimum wage, said HRW.
A lack of home-based services negatively impacts older people’s physical wellbeing and safety and may impede their dignity, autonomy and independence, the agency said.Challenges in elder care are exacerbated by the government’s continued over-reliance on family members to provide home-based care and support, even in circumstances where they are unable or unwilling to do so.”
“In addition, though the government contracts with non-profit organisations to deliver community and home-based care and support services, overly prescriptive rules on the range of services and insufficient funding impede the organisations’ capacity to deliver the services.”
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