Can you spare R86 right now to help an elder like Mr S get through the day in comfort … with his dignity intact?

That’s how much it costs to provide him with incontinence wear.

R86 a day …  R650 per week … R2 600 per month …

How can a person reliant on their SASSA pension afford this? Even if Mr S used his Older Persons Grant for nothing else – no food, accommodation, medicines, laundry or personal necessities – it still wouldn’t be enough.

Not without help from others who care. Even complete strangers, like you, who cannot rest easy when they know older people are suffering and in distress.

Up until recently, 65-year-old Mr S was coping well … living frugally by himself in a flat at Tafta. But then he developed diabetes, and didn’t realise until a sore on his leg turned septic.

Mr S was admitted to hospital and his leg was amputated just below the knee. When he returned to us, he was a different person. He experienced phantom limb syndrome – convinced that he could still feel the leg that had been amputated – and found it difficult to adjust to his new reality.

He hasn’t been on his feet since.

Even just sitting up in bed was too much of an effort. He felt helpless and hopeless. What was the point of even trying? Staying in bed all day was just easier. But it meant he wasn’t preparing meals or eating properly. Worse – he wasn’t bathing or using the toilet.

We provided Mr S with a carer to ensure his basic needs were met. But his mental health continued to deteriorate. Now, he’s been diagnosed with dementia. He is bed-bound, and dependent on incontinence wear.

This is not the way your ‘golden years’ are supposed to be. Filled with anxiety, hopelessness discomfort and loss of dignity.

Even though he has his health challenges, Mr S still deserves respect and loving care. Imagine if this was your beloved father or grandfather. You wouldn’t hesitate to help.

So please, will you open your heart to Mr S – and other elders like him – and make your contribution now to our Needy Pensioners Fund? It makes all the difference to those in need of a little extra support in their final years.

The Needy Pensioners Fund is administered by our Social Workers to help older people afford essential items and services that fall beyond their limited income. It can cover anything from providing meals delivered to homes, home-based care and hospital visits to funeral expenses, household appliances and mobility aids.

In many ways, the Fund serves as a “Financial caregiver” – stepping in when an older person has nowhere else to turn – ensuring that financial hardships do not rob them of their comfort, care or dignity.

One day, you or a loved one may also be dependent on others for care. Please help us keep the circle of love and empathy strong. Even a small contribution makes a difference.

“It takes a village to raise a child,” they say. But it takes a community to care for our elders when they need us most.