MOHW launches Park Walker Initiative for older Jamaicans 

WESTERN BUREAU: 

Jamaica’s senior citizens now have a new opportunity to stay active while building and maintaining social connections following Friday’s official launch of the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ (MOHW) Park Walker Initiative for Older Adults in Montego Bay, St James.

The initiative, which was launched at the Harmony Beach Park in Montego Bay, falls under the MOHW’s Jamaica Moves Programme and has been spearheaded through a partnership with stakeholder groups to include the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Western Regional Health Authority, the National Council for Senior Citizens, and the National Health Fund.

Pauline Burke, a 72-year-old retiree among last Friday’s participants, praised the Park Walker Initiative and its associated activities, including a brief senior citizen’s race that started the launch, saying it is worthwhile health-based enterprise.

“I think this initiative is a very good idea because when you are retired and at home sitting down, I know that is not good. Apart from the fact that we are encouraged to move, we also socialise with a whole lot of people that we do not know, so I think it is a very good idea,” said Burke. “I feel good about the participation thus far, and I feel like there is more I could do. Plus, I have been walking around the booths to see what is happening, since I like to remain active and do things.” 

Lorna Irving, a 65-year-old attendee at the launch, said the Park Walker Initiative’s launch has helped her and others to understand that senior citizens can still be active despite their age.  

“This event is making us aware that getting old is not burdensome and that there are activities that you can do to keep yourself healthy. Most older folks tend to want to stay at home, but it is not an ‘at home’ age, and while age might limit you in certain areas, it does not stop you from doing certain things,” said Irving.

Friday’s launch was the latest in a series of similar Park Walker Initiative, which has seen previous launches in St Thomas, St Catherine, Clarendon, and St Mary. Friday’s launch took place near the end of the MOWH’s observation of Move for Health Month, celebrated throughout the month of May.

Krystal Lee, state minister in the MOHW, told Friday’s launch that the event is showcasing the ministry’s commitment to caring for the health of Jamaica’s senior citizens, who currently number 375,000 persons, or 14 percent of the country’s population. 

“In today's western culture, older adults are sometimes made to feel forgotten or left for last, but this event rewrites that narrative. The United Nations has dubbed 2020 to 2030 as the decade of healthy aging, and this prioritises the development of age-friendly environments, aligning health systems to the needs of older populations, and creating sustainable and equitable long-term care systems,” said Lee. 

“Those who are 60 years and older are the fastest growing age group in Jamaica right now, and we are now totalling 375,000 individuals as seniors, a figure that is projected to increase to 400,000 by 2030. This shift underscores the need to prepare for an aging population and adapt societal structures, including the workforce and the health care system, to address the evolving demographic landscape,” she noted. “This initiative aligns with Jamaica's ongoing primary health care reform programme, the healthy aging agenda, and the global emphasis on integrated healthcare approaches for older persons across their life course.”

christopher.thomas@gleanerjm.com