Page 122 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

According to above table, Srilankans have more life expectancy and Afghanis have least
life expectancy among the SAARC countries.

f. Caring of elderly people
During old age, people have physical, mental,
emotional, social and economic changes. They
need special care and attention. Several efforts
should be made for their physical, mental and
emotional development, spiritual satisfaction and
overall welfare. Actually, caring of elderly people
is the welfare services provided to old people for
their overall development and to address various
aspects of their life. We need to manage following Fig: 46
things for caring the elderly people:
We must love and respect old people.
We need to arrange nutritious food and balanced diet for elderly people.

We need to encourage them change clothes regularly and bathe regularly.
Special attention is to be paid to health and sanitation.
They must be taken regularly for medical check–up in concerned health centers.
They should not be given any medicines without prescription of medical personnel.
They must be motivated to do light physical exercises.

We should not allow them to do heavy works.
They should be taken for regular walk in open and clean environment.
We should arrange spiritual environment for performing religious activities at home.
The rooms of old people should be cleaned and maintained regularly.

We need to arrange some religious books like Ramayan, Mahabharat, Geeta, Kuran,
Bible, Tripitak, etc. for old people so that they can pass their time easily.
We need to keep them away from gambling, smoking, drinking alcohol, taking drugs,
prostitution, etc.
We need to make special arrangement in home for exhibition of medals, letter of
credit, letter of honour, etc. presented to old people.
We can take them to visit the religious and cultural heritage sites regularly.
They should be taken to public parks, health clubs, etc. for their refreshment.
We must create happy and friendly environment in our home in order to reduce their
mental tension.
Old people should be avoided from long journeys.
We can arrange meeting programmes of retired people.

They must be given required food and medicines timely.
122 GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9