Global Ageing Network to Present Special Commendations in Ageing Services

The Global Ageing Network recognizes the Purity Elderly Care Foundation in Nairobi, Kenya and IRT Group-Kemira in NSW, Australia with Special Commendation for Ageing Services.

Purity Elderly Care Foundation (Nairobi, Kenya)

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The Purity Elderly Care Foundation is a non-governmental organization registered in the Republic of Kenya to help vulnerable elderly members of society. The support provided includes, but is not limited to, compassion visits, cleaning homes, helping the sick to hospital, repair/rebuild dilapidated houses, hold free medical camps, observe International Days, lobby and advocate for their rights through family and government structure. Their main objective is “to organize, manage and coordinate collaborative support for the elderly members of society to live in dignity, peace and comfort in their sunset years.”

The organization serves 450 plus home bound vulnerable people who have been neglected, abandoned, lonely, sick, and those needing basic human needs which include food, housing, and clothing. Since the organization started operating in 2011, it has:

  • Constructed 37 shelters and repaired 15;

  • Facilitated free medical care for hundreds in various hospitals and medical facilities;

  • Marked 5 World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD);

  • Celebrated 6 United Nations International Day for Older Persons;

  • Held 5 End of Year Parties;

  • Distributed food, clothing, firewood and other items to hundreds;

  • Lobbied with the government structures for various agendas; and,

  • Sensitized hundreds of families through mass/social media, religious groups, and others.

IRT Group-Kemira, Illawarra, NSW, Australia

The Global Ageing Network recognizes Kemira with the IRT Group with Commendation for Excellence in Ageing Services.

Kemira at IRT William Beach Gardens is a new type of age-friendly community in Illawarra, NSW that allows ageing people with intellectual disabilities to live with their primary carers in a supportive environment. It is the result of in-depth research by community-based aged care provider IRT Group, its disability sector partners, and the University of Wollongong into the limited house options for this group.

Kemira comprises 12 independent living villas, a community centre and a five-bed respite centre. The person with the disability has the choice to live with their primary carer in a two-bedroom villa or side by side in one-bedroom villas. The unique tenancy arrangement ensures the person with intellectual disabilities is empowered as the primary tenant. While each resident has their own privacy, the design also promotes interaction, through direct access to the central community hall. This is the hub of Kemira, hosting regular activities organized by IRT and Interchange Illawarra.

Kemira was born from a commitment to making a real difference in people’s lives. Without the commitment of IRT’s Senior Executives, Kemira would never have become a reality. Neil Preston, Retired CEO of Greenacres Disability Services states, “for many years there had been a big gap in service delivery to people with disabilities and their families in the area of retirement accommodation and ongoing support for their sons and daughters after the death of their parents. It is truly a groundbreaking project in all aspects and with a respite wing also included in the complex, it can provide much needed respite breaks for families living there”.

Kemira’s success is the result of the unique cross-sector collaboration that combined experience across the aged, disability and research sectors. From the outset, IRT and its partners have been committed to sharing their learnings through the creation of a blueprint, to be made freely available to other service providers seeking to address the same need.

Purity Elderly Care Foundation and the IRT Group will be presented with Special Commendations in Ageing Services at the 2017 Global Ageing Network/CURAVIVA Global Ageing Conference which takes place on September 18-21 in Montreux, Switzerland.