Thu, Feb 06, 2025 | Shaaban 7, 1446 | DXB ktweather icon0°C

DHA to provide best quality geriatric care

Top Stories

DHA to provide best  quality geriatric care

Elderly centre receives specail attention from DHA

Dubai - Expansion of family gathering centre will take into consideration in-patient and outpatient services

Published: Mon 20 Jun 2016, 5:46 PM

Updated: Mon 20 Jun 2016, 7:56 PM

  • By
  • Staff Reporter

The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will expand its elderly centre to provide the highest quality of geriatric in-patient and outpatient services, said a top health official.
Humaid Al Qatami, Chairman of the Board and Director-General of the DHA made the announcement during his recent visit to the elderly centre.
Al Qatami and Major-General Mohammed Ahmad Al Marri, Director-General of General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai, attended the Ramadan tent for elderly patients at the family gathering centre for the third consecutive year.
"The expansion of the family gathering centre will take into consideration all aspects of geriatric care. We will have specialised in-patient and outpatient services, we will use the latest medical technology and will provide facilities including a mosque in the premises of the centre," he said.
Al Qatami was speaking on the sidelines of his visit to the Ramadan tent at the centre.
The tent has been set up for all in-patients and outpatients of the centre. Family members as well as community members are encouraged to visit the tent to meet elderly patients and seek their blessings. The interaction also helps promote a family-oriented atmosphere at the centre and provides an opportunity for the youth to interact and learn from the elderly.
"Ramadan is a blessed month and the authority has organised a series of health awareness lectures, religious lectures, Iftars, medical-checks ups and indoor games to help maintain and improve the cognitive skills of in-patients and out-patients at the centre. The Ramadan tent also provides an opportunity for the community to interact with elderly patients, spend time with them and seek their blessings," he said.
Dr Salwa Al Suwaidi, geriatrician and director of the centre, said: "We have organised several initiatives for our elderly patients during the holy month.  At the Ramadan tent, we have been organising lectures on active ageing and nutrition lectures that provide information on how to maintain a healthy diet during Ramadan. We have also carried out screening programmes for both in-patients and outpatients. In cooperation with Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department in Dubai (IACAD), the centre has been holding religious lectures after the Tarawih prayers. We have also organised simple physiotherapy exercises at the Ramadan tent as well as activities such as chess and carom, which help development of cognitive skills."
Al Suwaidi said the authority has organised four Iftars at the centre and plans to organise another four Iftars with the participation of friends and family members of elderly patients.
The tent is open for all and takes place on all days of the week, after the Tarawih prayers from 10pm until midnight.
asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com



Next Story