A PARTY list lawmaker wants every barangay to set up a “senior citizen daycare center” to help elderly Filipinos stay well and active.
United Senior Citizens Rep. Milagros Aquino-Magsaysay filed House Bill No. 10362, or the draft Senior Citizens Day Care Center Act of 2024, to “promote the welfare and protect the interest of the aging and elderly population.”
“Events like demise of a spouse, retirement from work and onset of related illnesses may put older persons through brief periods of distress. External support or help may be needed by some to bring relief and expedite adjustment,” Magsaysay said.
“Alongside the rapid growth of the older population, are the increasing cases of abandonment and homelessness, as well as rise in their special needs such as health care, housing, income security and other social services,” she added.
The senior day care centers, the lawmaker said, would be more than a facility or venue but a “means of ensuring elderly programs and services can be accessed and be made available to senior citizens, their families and caregivers.”
The elderly day care centers would provide activities for socialization including arts and crafts, games, dancing, light exercise, discussion groups and outings; health services including medical monitoring and checkups, as well as occupational, speech and physical therapy; and special services, including early screening or testing for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
According to the Philippine Statistics Authority, there were 9.22 million senior citizens as of the 2020 Census, 7.5 percent higher than the 7.53 million recorded in 2015.
