Nevis seniors continue to benefit from Social Services Department programmes

NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (AUGUST 30, 2013) – The Social Services Department in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), continued to show its commitment and dedication to the island’s senior citizens, when it hosted the third annual Beachnic (a seaside picnic) at Oualie Beach on August 29, 2013.

In an interview with the Department of Information, Coordinator of the Senior Citizens Division in the Social Services Department Mrs. Garcia Thompson-Hendrickson explained the purpose behind the event held for the seniors annually.

“It’s always a pleasure for us the staff at the Department to do something extra for the seniors and by now we hope that our seniors know how much we appreciate them. We want them to take part in more physical activity as well, so we are trying to focus on the health side as well as the spiritual as well as the social.

“We often take them to the community centres but like today we just want them to see the extent to which we appreciate them, we have taken the time to cook, to bring them out and to interact with them away from home,” she said.

Mrs. Thompson-Hendrickson explained that the picnic not only served as a fun exercise for the seniors but it was also a way of affording them the chance to explore and interact with one another.

“We see this as a time for them to not only come out of their house but we have our exercise sessions here, we have our devotions, we just transferred the recreational activity to the beach. It gives them a chance to be away from home and some of them don’t get the opportunity to go to the beach, so this is our way of just bringing them out for a fun day,” she stated.

The Coordinator stated that the fun day activity was scheduled with the intention to show the seniors how appreciated they were and to demonstrate to them that both the community and the Department cared about their daily activities.

“This is our way of showing the seniors that we haven’t forgotten them, we are here, a few of their family members, some have a few friends in from overseas and we just want to show the seniors that we have taken the time to go the extra mile,” she said.

Also present at the Beachnic was Junior Minister responsible for Social Development in the NIA Hon. Hazel Brandy-Williams. She interacted with the seniors, participated in their various activities and distributed hand bags to them as a token of appreciation for their attendance on behalf of the Ministry of Health.