Mr. President,

Heads and members of delegations, Ladies and Gentlemen, my delegation is especially pleased, and thankful to Almighty God, that Sierra Leone has been able to join you at this very important meeting where we are to discuss and set out international policy with regard to ageing and the care of the aged". The world is not unfamiliar with all Sierra Leone has been through in the last ten to eleven years. Yes, our friends will be happy to learn that we have peace at lest and are on the height of preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections in exactly one month and two days from today.

All Sierra Leoneans are now bent on rebuilding the nation physically, socially and mentally. In doing this, ageing and the care of the aged cannot be set in the back ground. It is for this reason that inspite of all current emergency and difficulties, Sierra Leone is very much represented here at this Second World Assembly on Ageing.

Mr. President,

Delegates, it would interest you to know that the current life expectancy in my country is 39 years. Ageing may therefore seem not to be an issue for us. But would interest you also to know that I personally know at least 50 to 60 persons in our country who are over 80 years of age and have about six close friends and family who are between 80 and 100 years. Many aged people, or over eighties have got together to from what they call friends of the Elderly, to interact with each other and with society, by visiting each other, staging concerts, and celebrating longevity birthdays. I recently joined the group the to celebrate the birthday of a 104 year old woman member who still keeps good health, lives in her own home, although not alone, takes care of her household chores and is happy to do so.

It is for people like her and many more who should get to be like her in our society that, in recognition of the U.N. declaration of 1984 as the International year of the Aged the Government of Sierra Leone adopted Primary Health Care as a strategy for providing health care programmes to the population, including the aged and launched by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, and the Ministry of Education in collaboration with UNICEF. The health of the aging is fundamentally conditioned by their previous health and education. Therefore life - long health care and education starting with the young age group is of paramount importance. It includes education in school, public and preventive health, nutrition, exercise, the avoidance of health - harming habits and attention to environmental factors. The Primary Health Care Programme enables the elderly to live in their own family and community as long as possible instead of being excluded and cut off from all activities of society in homes.

Very recently, apart from the health care Programme, even in our difficult times, Government has encouraged and instituted measures for free Primary Education and for a Social Security Scheme that will ensure a smooth and gradual transition from active working life to retirement, and in addition we have made the age of entitlement to a pension more flexible (55 - 60). This scheme secures the working position in a long life time and also covers the employee's dependents e.g. children, spouse or parents etc where necessary. All that is required in respect of the scheme is that the enIployer contributes 10% and the beneficiary contributes 5%. This would certainly help to improve the living standard of the future elderly .

Some of the aged people in the world society today, have a better means of living as compared to those of yesterday, in that they continue to earn though they have retired, and they have the help of doctors and other facilities. Nevertheless, there remain a host of problems which should be delved into and solved. These problems are or may be of physical, mental and emotional, social, economical or psychological nature and may differ slightly according to whom they concern, and from country to country. Such declarations as will emerge from this Assembly therefore must provide for international cooperation, theoretical and practical.

Even though several branches of social work have been studied for a rather long period, the field of protective services for the aged has not been sufficiently explored especially in developing countries like ours. Therefore the mere mentioning of the word "aged" gives rise to several varying thoughts in the minds of people. When should the term apply? At 40 or 80 years. But ageing covers the whole range! That is over 50% of the world population. We dare here to make a few suggestions for helping more than half of the World's Population.

Suggestions on Living Arrangement for the more than half of the world population.

1. SUGGESTIONS ON LIVING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE ELDERLY

All efforts must be made by nations to have their ageing stay in their own homes as long as they can possibly manage. To give up ones private castle is to lose a precious area of freedom and self esteem. Many people unthinkingly regard the death of a spouse which leaves an elderly person widowed or w idowed or the onset of physical disability, as a sign of liquidating an independent life. In a situation as ours, where the extended family system exists (although it is dying out gradually due to industrialization and urbanization, high cost of living) a son or daughter might do more for that ageing parent by asking the parent to move in and live with them. This is because like all other persons, the aged need warmth and affection, their own areas of freedom and independence, some amount of money to spend when they please, some privacy and place of their own belonging and the right to make decisions for themselves as long as they are able to do rational thinking.

2. HOMES FOR THE AGED

What about special homes for the aged? Are we saying they are serve no useful purpose? The Government has collaborated with the Welfare Society for the Aged in Sierra Leone for many years, to run the King George the Sixth. Old People's Home free of any charges which I dare day continued to received the attention of the Queen Mother Elizabeth now of blessed memory, and I pause herewith your permission to extend our condolences to the Royal family through the United KIngdom delegation here present for her going away. Yet this home is only half full. The idea has not caught on. A home means many things to many people, but, perhaps, the one requirement on which most will agree is that a place in w hich a person lives and feels at home, in which a person he or she knows he or she belongs and in which he of she has meaning to oneself and to others with whom they live under the same roof. Feeling of satisfaction and belonging are created primarily, not by the building but rather by the quality of life in the building and the relationships established within it. Facilities recreational, social, etc, must be provided for all residents, regardless of health status.

3. SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE AGED

The aged have often been helpless in many ways. Necessitating the establishment of several Social services operating in many countries, especially in Europe. These services could be modified and given trial in developing countries such as ours. For example whether the aged live in their own home or special homes, we must insist on trained home nurses recommended by doctors especially for those who are ill and not strong enough to take full care of themselves.

4. MEALS ON WHEELS

What about meals on wheels? A firm policy to popularise this phenomena especially in countries like ours emerging out of a verocious war should be useful. It has been realized in many countries that quite a number of people especially the home - bound are often unable to prepare hot meals and may go without it or even cold meals for some days. It is therefore worth considering. Meals on wheels, hot or cold, for those without families, who stay in the country side away from areas where homes for the aged operating.

Mr. President,

Finally, the ageing must be assisted now so that when they get to be aged they would be productive. Old age is too often a time of lonely sadness, when it should be a time for service and continued self-development. It can be a time to develop new interests, acquire new knowledge and find new ways to spend leisure hours, and be active to society. In considering the care for the aged, one should remember that individual needs and capacities are infinitely varied. As many common factors have a bearing on old aged. But one thing is certain that the problems facing an elderly person who enjoys good health and a relatively active life differ radically from those facing a person who may be immobile ill and utterly lonely. A recent American President once suggested that with all the developments that are being made in science and medicine, we all stand a better chance of living up to a 100 years at least. But civilization will be judged not by the here fact that we live to be 100 years, by how we are looked after then. This is why we find it is easy to criticize those who are apparently neglecting their elderly relatives. On the other hand, smaller families, mobility, labour, improved housing conditions and an increases in the retired population have combined to create new social conditions. The responsibility must therefore be shared by family and society in a combination of statutory and voluntary action.

The constant aim is the creation of an environment in which assistance to developing countries in arms and ammunition would be replaced by housing establishments to enable as many old people as possible to live out the rest of their lifetime in familiar surrounding, with maximum degree of independence. Ageing people are capable of doing a great deal of voluntary work for their less fortunate contemporaries. There are still many who need concentrated support in their homes as they grow increasing frail and for them the prime need is for an effective system of regular visit and personal contacts. Wherever they may be today our social services are infinitely better and our approach to social problems with limited resources shows more regard for human dignity than any time world history. As we set about to make life better for the ageing and already aged let us adopt national and international policies that put them high on the caring list, considering the vital contributions they made in their youth to keep the world going.

I thank you.