I often share ways us youth can honour or celebrate Youth Month around this time of the year. But did you know we also commemorate World Elder Awareness Day in the month of June? Here’s why youth should value the generation that raised us.

Gain valuable life lessons

We can learn valuable life lessons from the elderly and learn from their experiences. We can discover more about the system they lived in and the values they have. It’s important that we learn from their knowledge and intelligence. Try to be more attentive to what they have to say. You will find that these values can help shape the people we want to see ourselves as.

Be of service to our senior citizens

The older a person gets, the weaker their body system becomes. As a result, older people are more prone to illnesses.

Offer to accompany an elderly neighbour, or family member to the clinic or help run errands for them.

You can also consider collecting their medication from the clinic/pharmacy on their behalf or give them preference in queues, and public transport.

Sense of purpose

Part of providing proper care for your elderly loved ones is giving them a sense of purpose so that they can look forward to the days ahead of them. Try to spend more time with them by taking part or including them in enjoyable activities.

Sense of belonging

People become more detached from society’s trends and happenings as they get older because they lived in a different era, and the community changes daily. Try maintain a sense of community and keep the elderly updated with modern trends by regularly interacting with them. This will help empower and energise them.

Other ways to take care of the elderly

• Pay attention to their nutrition and overall health.
• Physical activity at home can make a difference in decreasing stress whilst also staying active. Encourage your elderly community members or relatives to take a walk around the neighbourhood or do other forms of exercise that they are able to do.
• Be there and offer support at all times.
• Connect them to a community-based organisation or Gogo projects that involves many activities suitable for their age, such as gardening, sewing, and beadwork.

It’s important for us, as the youth to try and ensure a better quality of life for the elderly. What will you be doing for the elderly community this Youth Month?

If you or a friend need advice or help, you can contact me here on Ask Choma, send a Facebook message or a Twitter DM, or a WhatsApp Message (071 172 3657).