Nairobi: The Older Persons Bill, 2024, is set to position County Governments at the forefront of addressing the challenges older persons face by devising targeted programs. According to the proposed legislation, these initiatives will focus on enhancing personal development and income-generating capacities for the elderly.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Bill emphasizes Article 57 of the Constitution, which mandates the State to ensure older persons can fully participate in societal affairs, pursue personal development, and live with dignity, free from abuse. The definition of an 'older person' in this context is anyone aged 60 and above.
The Bill outlines community-based programs to include home-based care for older individuals facing mental or physical infirmities, ensuring they receive comprehensive services. County-based programs will integrate community care with development systems, offering spiritual, medical, civic, cultural, and other social services to older residents.
The Bill's objective is to enable older persons to lead fulfilling, independent lives with dignity, protecting them from abuse and discrimination. It also requires the establishment of a database and management information system by both national and county governments to monitor care facilities for older persons.
Moreover, the Bill mandates collaboration between government levels to develop infrastructure for caring, rehabilitating, and providing basic services to older persons. It calls for the national government to promote research, data collection, and information dissemination on older persons' welfare, along with public sensitization programs.
County governments are tasked with creating a registry for older persons and accrediting residential care centers and other facilities. They must also monitor and supervise entities involved in delivering social services.
The Bill encourages recognizing older persons' social, cultural, and economic contributions and preventing their exploitation. Residential care institutions must adopt a person-centered approach, respecting older persons' rights and promoting their participation in social, religious, and community activities.
The Bill also outlines penalties for abuse of older persons, considering it an aggravating circumstance for sentencing. Convicted individuals may face fines or imprisonment.
Article 6 of the Bill ensures the State provides prompt pension payments and social security to enable older persons to live comfortably. Social safety nets, such as the Older Persons Cash Transfer (OP-CT), provide financial assistance to those aged 70 and above without income sources.
The OP-CT program, established in September 2013, supports vulnerable older individuals, helping them meet basic needs. As of last August, 1,215,343 beneficiaries were part of this program. However, individuals receiving pensions exceeding the cash transfer stipend are ineligible for OP-CT.