Activities for World Day of the Elderly

The World Day of the Elderly on October 1 is being celebrated in Malta with several activities, starting from September 23, Parliamentary Secretary Antoine Mifsud Bonnici said yesterday.

He told a news conference that in Malta there were around 70,000 people who were 60 and over, making up 18 per cent of the population.

On September 23, two refurbished female wards are to be inaugurated at St Vincent de Paul residence for the elderly. On September 24 and 26, social activities are being organised at the Zejtun Day Centre and on September 30 another social activity is to be held for all residents in state, church and private homes at Sant'Agatha hall in Rabat.

On October 1, a barbeque is to be held at the Mtarfa Residence for the Elderly and on October 2, 3 and 4 presents will be distributed to the residents of St Vincent de Paul, government homes and those receiving the Homehelp service.

A new day centre is to be inaugurated at Birzebbuga on October 4 and a five-kilometre race is to be organised by the St Vincent de Paul Running Group at October 5.

But the main activity would be on September 28 when the ninth edition of the Elderly of the Year award would be held at the Sir Temi Zammit Hall at the University, Prof. Mifsud Bonnici said.