ELIM Residential Home in Phoenix has a range of ongoing needs that they require help with, but this Mandela Day they are asking for your time.
Desmond Moodley, the home’s chairman, said: “We ask that volunteers visit and spend time with our residents, some of whom have been abandoned by their families. We deal with many cases where families have dropped off their elders and don’t return. The residents long for love, affection and to speak with others.
“They share their stories and want to be comforted and encouraged. It’s a simple act that means so much to them; to have people spend time with them and let them know they are not alone.”
Another way you can donate 67 minutes of your time to the residents is through their garden project.
“We need help with our vegetable garden. We have quite a bit of space. If there is an opportunity, we would like to work with the community to develop the garden to eventually produce food that can been used towards the meals that are prepared. Perhaps, down the line the produce could also be harvested for sale locally. But beyond that, a garden gives the residents something to do and gardening is therapeutic, so there is multiple benefits in having a food garden,” said Moodley.
Established in 1994, Elim started with eight units. A few years later, they built another 12 units. They currently take care of 20 residents.
“We cater to residents who are 65 years and older. We are currently not equipped to assist people who cannot assist themselves. The criteria includes that you have to be on a social grant, you must be able to support yourself, and have family who can assist with additional needs like food, medical support, and whatever else you may need.
“We were never meant to be a long terms solution, but it has turned out to be heading in this direction; as many families, for whatever reasons, cannot take their parents back when the elders need full-time care. This is why one of the bigger elements of our Mandela Day wish list is completing our en-suite project.
“At the moment, we have communal bathrooms. When our founders established the home they did not envisage that residents would be staying well into their old age. Our motto is ‘Giving Dignity to the Aged’. We are dealing with residents who are getting older and we find that in the night particularly, when it’s cold, it’s a challenge for them to move to the bathroom.
“A few years ago we came up with the concept to add en-suites to the rooms; just a shower, toilet and basin in each room. We can then convert the current communal bathroom area into more units to accommodate more residents. That’s our major fundraising project at the moment.”
Moodley said the home was not subsidised.
“We run purely based on donations, sponsorship and fundraising. The money that residents pay using their grants covers the running costs, mainly for water and electricity.”
For more information on their Mandela Day programme, follow the Elim Residential Home Facebook page.