Christmas party for senior citizens

Senior citizens danced and sang traditional songs as they entertained each other.

Senior citizens flung away their walking sticks and hit the dance floor when Sinovuyo Old Age Group hosted a Christmas party at their hall in Litha Park on Thursday November 22.

They pulled off some classy old school moves and combined them with traditional dances.

There were excitement and smiles all round as two clubs for senior citizens from Khayelitsha, Masibathande Masithandane, gathered at the hall to enjoy themselves.

Patricia Ophile, an organiser at the Sinovuyo Old Age Group, said the party was one of their yearly events and they wanted to make the seniors feel happy and appreciated.

Ms Ophile said the harsh and sad reality was that senior citizens were often victims of domestic abuse by their grandchildren and children.

This, she said, often caused them to suffer from depression and become more ill.

She said senior citizens needed to be loved and it warmed her heart to see them laughing and forgetting about their endless challenges.

Sinovuyo Old Age Group seeks to empower and keep the senior citizens occupied.

Ms Ophile said part of the programme involved teaching them to sew and garden.

She believes the senior citizens need to meet frequently, make new friends and be given a chance to reminisce about the good times.

“Our goal as the country should be to ensure that senior citizens are protected from any form of abuse.

“Senior citizens have raised doctors and teachers and now it is their turn to be looked after.

“We need to protect them so they can share their lifelong wisdom and lessons.”

Ms Ophile said it was extremely difficult to cover their operational costs and they needed all the help they could get.

Enjoying the party was Nomsa Twalo who said it provided them with an opportunity to have fun and unwind.

Ms Twalo said as senior citizens they felt neglected and like outcasts.

She said some of their children and grandchildren considered them to be needy people who were always looking for unnecessary attention and help.

Another senior citizen, Doris Sbamba, said she wished that this could be a weekly gathering instead of only happening once a year.

She said when she was with her peers she felt at peace.

She said that such gatherings allowed them to relax and simply have fun.