A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.
This Friday is International Day of Older Persons and the Tairawhiti Positive Ageing Trust is urging people to take part.
Trustee Judy Livingston said October 1 was a day to honour older people, shed light on the issues faced by older people, and encourage the world to provide a friendlyenvironment to the older people where they can grow old with dignity and never feel deprived of their rights.
“The Tairawhiti Positive Ageing Trust suggests you celebrate International Day of Older Persons by honouring the seniors in your family or community and appreciating them for their services,”Judy said.
“Most of us are fortunate to have older people around us, whether they're family, friends, or just general acquaintances. Older people are fonts of wisdom, experience, and storytelling. They can inspire us to continue striving — or warn us of dangers we're unaware of. We should look to them for guidance whenever and wherever possible. Unfortunately, far too often we tend to forget — or, worse, downright ignore — the older people in our lives.
“That's one of many reasons why the International Day of Older Persons on October 1 is such an important day.
“Older people are often overlooked in today's society. Many of them are challenged with discrimination, poverty, health, and social protection issues. If these issues are not properly answered, then the huge population of old-aged individuals will develop a sense of insecurity in upcoming years, leading to an unbalanced society.”
The objective of International Day of Older Persons is to create a world where older people live with dignity, do not feel deprived of the luxuries of life, are respected and appreciated, and continue to participate in the modern society as important citizens with full rights.
“Listen to your elder's advice, not because they are always right but because they have more experiences of being wrong,” Judy said.
