Basic Healthcare Services and Social Activities for Older People in Amman, Jordan

Project location: Jordan, Amman
Project start date: September 2020 - Project end date: December 2021
Project number: 2020-022
Beneficiary: Corpo Italiano Di Soccorso Dell'ordine Di Malta

There are approx. half-a-million people aged 60 and older in Jordan, representing 5.4 per cent of the population, according to official reports.  
Jordan’s total population is 9.5 million; the number of Jordanians 6.6 million, while the number of non-Jordanians who reside in the country 2.9 million, representing 30.6 per cent of the overall population, according to the results of the national census conducted in 2019.  
The Department of Statistics (DoS) alleged in a statement e-mailed to The Jordan Times that a total of 513,000 people aged 60 and older live in the Kingdom.  
The report was released by DoS on the occasion of the International Day of Older Persons. The Department considers those 60 and over as older persons in the Kingdom.  
Amman hosts the largest number of elderly residents, with 6.2 %, followed by Ajloun in the north and Karak in the south (5.3 %). 
Social, economic and cultural conditions impose a multitude of tasks and duties on the younger members of the family, making it very difficult for them to take care of their older parents. Youth leave the villages in search of better opportunities, leaving behind elderly relatives who live most often a lonely life without financial or social support. In addition, there is a shortage of vital medical care for this category of people. 
 
Since the war began in 2011, Jordan has provided refuge to more than 1.3 million Syrian refugees. They are increasingly vulnerable and have little money since their savings, assets and resources dried up. Over 80% live below the poverty line. 
One-in-five refugees are settled in camps, and the remaining in host communities where support services are scarce, and visibility to the Jordan Government and humanitarian organizations is limited. 
A lack of data means awareness of older refugees’ wellbeing is lacking, and this makes it very difficult to meet the group's needs. Older people are mostly overlooked in humanitarian responses, their needs are not met, and aid delivery is not suited to their abilities. 
 
DoS assumes that 62.6 per cent of elderly people suffer visual impairment, 45.6 % have hearing difficulties and 71.7 % complain of mobility impairment. 
According to recent estimates issued by Help Age International, the percentage of older persons in Jordan (60+) will be increasing over the coming years to a projected rate of 8.6% by the end of 2030 and to 15.8% by the end of 2050. 
 

The Italian Relief Corp of the Order of Malta – C.I.S.O.M., founded in 2011, is a non-profit Foundation based on Melitense Legislation and it is subsidiary to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta – S.M.O.M. 
C.I.S.O.M. is responsible for providing both medical and technical-logistic assistance to the population within the National Civil Protection system in case of public disasters in the Italian territory.  Currently, the Corp has more than 120 local groups and over 4,000 Volunteers.
Since 2008, C.I.S.O.M. manages “Search and Rescue – SAR” Project and “PASSIM” Project providing medical assistance to Migrants in the Mediterranean Sea on board on Italian Coast Guard and Navy’s vessels. The activities of the Order of Malta’s Italian Relief Corps represent the frontline in the sea of cooperation along with international and national organizations. From 2008 to 2019, C.I.S.O.M.  teams have provided medical assistance to over 190.000 persons.  
Every year, with the employment of 102 doctors, 66 nurses, 73 volunteers and 12 C.I.S.O.M. logisticians, just in Search and Rescue activities in the Strait of Sicily on board of the Coast Guard and Navy Vessels, C.I.S.O.M. has achieved the following results: 491 SAR operations (Search and Rescue), 53,712 migrants rescued, 800 life-saving therapies administered, 72 urgent transfers, 25 helicopter rescue trips 
The social activities are divided into macro areas, in coordination with regional and municipal public authorities: 
• Social Care: “Street units” and ethical clinics are deployed all over Italy to provide aid to the elderly, disabled and homeless. 
• UDS (Street Unit):  104 health-related services in 2018. 
• Ethical clinic in Pisa and Palermo, which began to operate since 2016 ad where volunteers have delivered almost 600 medical checks to the population in need. 

As of the beginning of 2019 CISOM Foundation and the SMOM Embassy in Jordan launched three cooperation programmes. These programmes have been shared with and supported by the Lebanese Association.  In conjunction with the Association, CISOM has prepared and implemented the denominated PARTO programme (Primary Attention, referral and Treatment in Obstetrical Patients). In particular, the programmes evaluated with the governmental institutions of the Kingdom are: “Outreach Programme on Diabetes”, Clinical support for patients with diabetes and hypertension in rural areas of Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. “Day Care Centre for the Elderly” and “Mother and Child”. Socio-Sanitary Assistance to Mothers with at-risk pregnancies in rural areas of Jordan.

This project received a grant from the Nando and Elsa Peretti Foundation to promote a better inclusion of older people in the city and suburbs of Amman.

In the planning phase, a needs assessment will be carried out in each of these villages to meet the elderly thanks to the support of the local Church and parishes, local associations, and authorities. The purpose of this activity is to get to know the people about the initiative, where the centre is located and how it is organized. 
Once the villages and the elderly have been identified a bus will be made available for travel to and from the centre. 
All the activities that will be developed in the centre will be monthly planned by the social worker according to the number of elderly present in the centre. These can be indoor or outdoor. The purpose is to incorporate older people into programs and to identify their unique needs as an important priority when developing services. The Italian Relief Corp of the Order of Malta (in charge of project management) will utilize the Humanitarian Inclusion Standards (HIS) in programme development to ensure that older people have equitable access to humanitarian services. 
Ad hoc agreements will be made with  
- Hospitals - if hospitalization will be necessary for the elderly. 
- Youth centres developing social activities for both. 
Specific Objectives:
1. Integrate the elderly as active members in the society and taking them out of their isolation by empowering them to try to be more active, independent as well as health caring. 
2. Create a warmer and more cheerful atmosphere for the elderly by enabling them to continue living in their homes as long as possible. 
3. Provide the elderly people with activities and supportive professional services which will help improve and develop their quality of life. 
Activities:
Preparatory activities, signing agreements, setting up of management and evaluation steering committee, start up an infrastructure (Center) in order to offer adequate services, staff selection on site. 
 
Indoor activities: 
1. Daily lunch; Social activities; Manual activities (for special events); celebration of special events at Christmas, Mothers’ Day, Palm Sunday and Easter; Spiritual activities (mass, life story of Saints, documentary, discussions….); Collaboration with the Youth in the Districts in order to establish a worthy communication between the age and the youth generations (especially during special events: Christmas…..) 
 
2. Medical diagnosis and treatment: weekly medical follow-up will be provided by the doctors and nurses of the Center as well as the supply of non-chronic medications (first healthcare level). Elderly people will be encouraged to participate in awareness sessions prepared by the staff teams of the Center, which particularly affect their everyday life. (Diabetes, reflux, cardiovascular diseases, cholesterol, triglycerides, osteoporosis, affective reactions, depression and anxiety...). 

 

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