your heart would have broken if you’d seen the state Mr J was in when we found him

He and his older brother were living in a dingy room with cracks in the walls, peeling paint, and not a stick of furniture – other than a double mattress on the floor that the two old men shared. They had nowhere to sit and nowhere to put their clothes.

And – with only their old age pensions to live off – there was precious little food in the place.

Mr J’s brother is fiercely independent and protective of his younger sibling. But he just can’t provide the level of care Mr J needs. Seven years ago, Mr J was in a car accident and suffered a brain injury. He lost his hearing and developed epilepsy. On top of that, he now has dementia and is incontinent.

He was dirty, unkempt and malnourished.

We immediately arranged for a home based carer to call in every day to help the two men. But, as time went by and there was little improvement in Mr J’s condition, it became clear that he needed 24-hour frail care.

Even though this poor old man couldn’t pay anywhere near what it costs, we didn’t hesitate. Mr J was admitted to the frail care unit at our John Dunn House last October, where he is receiving the best possible care, as well as psycho-social support to improve his quality of life.

But he is just one of 488 elders whose care costs fall far short of the R1890 government pension that is all they can contribute. And, with the need to protect both residents and staff against Covid, the cost of caring has risen even higher. Which means we are counting on support from caring people like you more than ever right now.

We really don’t know what our elders would do without their special ‘guardian angels’ – people like you who watch over them from afar, and help keep them safe from harm.

But every frail, homeless, desitute old man or woman in our city needs a guardian angel of their own. Please will you save another senior by joining the Tafta Guardians now?

Your monthly or even once off contribution will sponsor the cost of caring for an elderly man or woman – and ensure they live out their golden years in safety and comfort.

Because accidents can happen to anyone. In the blink of an eye, you can lose your health, your income, your home, your dignity … just like Mr J. How comforting it is to know that Tafta is here to help … thanks to the wonderfully caring community of supporters who make our work possible. Thank you for being one of them – your kindness really does make all the difference.