Seniors from Ward 63 were shown the love last month during a trip to the Helderberg Nature Reserve.
On Tuesday 14 February, a total of 65 seniors from Ottery, Fairways, Plumstead and Wynberg climbed on a bus and headed to Somerset West for, as Ward councillor Carmen Siebritz puts it, a ball of a time.
“We tend to never include seniors, but they are a big part of my heart. So instead of choosing a random day to hold the event, I decided Valentine’s Day would be ideal to show them how much we care.”
Financed by the ward allocation and organised with the assistance of the City of Cape Town’s social development department, the day trip began early in the morning when the bus went to collect the seniors at various old-age homes in Wynberg and Plumstead, as well as from the Goodhope Christian Centre in Ottery.
The bus also stopped in Fairways.
Besides early-morning refreshments and lunch, the full-day programme included a guided walk, talks on elderly abuse and the importance of having a will and some entertainment.
“I felt the need to show them some love, especially our seniors. We are here because of them, and we are only able to achieve those things that we do because of what they taught us,” says Siebritz.
She says the event was very well received.
“The seniors, being from different areas, were able to communicate with each other. There were good chats and laughs. New friends were made and stories and numbers were exchanged. They want to know when is the next one.”
Siebritz, who broke her foot in early February, again brought out the crutches on Wednesday 8 March to visit Beit-ul-Aman, an old-age home in Wynberg. She explains that the special visit to the home was because the residents weren’t able to be part of the Valentine’s Day event.
“Most are in wheelchairs or bedridden. During the visit, they were handed winter blankets and sweet treats to show them how special they are and that they are still part of society.
“What broke my heart was that they told me that nobody goes to visit them. One lady who is 96 years old told me that she has been at the home for close to 15 years and she hasn’t had a visit from anybody.”
