About 2,000 Senior citizens across Rivers State and Niger Delta region at the weekend received support from the Gateway International Church in Port Harcourt.

The initiative, which featured free medical care, feeding,recreation, social interaction, health education, physical exercise, counselling and distribution of gift items, brought together hundreds of senior citizens from different ethnic and social backgrounds.

The two-day programme, held as part of the church’s annual Elders Day of Honour, has been organised for the past four years to promote the physical, social and financial wellbeing of senior citizens.

Health experts were also on hand to provide health education, medical checks and guidance on healthy ageing.

An 81-year-old participant, Festus Akpelu, commended the initiative, particularly the health education and physical exercise sessions as well as the free medical care.

Akpelu said the programme had helped participants become more conscious of their health and could contribute to healthier ageing.

“This programme is very fine and fantastic. If it can be sustained, I believe many elderly people will benefit. There are some people who do not have money to treat themselves when they are sick, but from the sensitisation and the exercise, we have been strengthened,” he said.

He added that regular exercise could help senior citizens maintain their strength and reduce health-related complications.

Pastor George Izunwa, Lead Pastor of Gateway International Church, said the initiative was designed to address some of the gaps in society and promote healthier and longer lives among senior citizens.

Izunwa said the programme was also intended to encourage individuals and organisations to complement government efforts in addressing the challenges confronting the aging groups.

According to him, the initiative was driven by the desire to give back to society and respond to areas where support was lacking.

He said senior citizens remained important contributors to families and communities, particularly in preserving culture, traditions, language and history.

“Elders have a lot to add, starting from the family. One of the things that elders can give to the children is a little bit of acculturation, bringing them to understand the traditions, the cultures, the language and history of any community and without them, you can’t have that,” he said.

Izunwa said the concept of healthy ageing should go beyond longevity to include good health, strength, quality of life, prosperity, peace and the ability to leave a lasting legacy.

He urged members of society not to sideline elderly people, stressing that many senior citizens remained healthy, productive and capable of making meaningful contributions to their families and communities.

Also speaking, Dr Onyeije Ebere Chinecherem, Directorate Head, Community Impact, said the initiative provided holistic support for senior citizens through recreation, social interaction, health education and material assistance.

She said the programme was open to members of the church and the general public and had entered its fourth edition.

According to her, the first day was dedicated to recreation and social activities, while the second day featured the main programme and distribution of gifts to participants.
She said the church had, in previous editions, distributed phones, bags and hoodies to senior citizens.

“I must say that every year, no matter the number, I will give a gift to everybody,” she said.

Pharmacist Unique Chukwu, author of Outsmarting High Blood Pressure Beyond Pills, also sensitised the participants on practical measures for maintaining good health and reducing the risk of health complications.
Chukwu emphasised healthy lifestyle practices as important to maintaining wellbeing in old age and urged participants to adopt habits that could improve their quality of life.

Evangelist Chinyere Onuogu described the initiative as an innovative approach to recognising and supporting senior citizens.

She said the programme was different from conventional initiatives because of its focus on bringing senior citizens together for recreation, health education and other forms of support.

Similarly, Bright Adeyinka Dick-Woke, a teacher, said he attended the programme after hearing Izunwa speak about it on radio.

Dick-Woke said he was impressed by the large turnout of senior citizens and called for greater efforts to ensure that elderly people were carried along in community activities.

“The first surprise I saw here is the number of elderly people. My brother, I was shocked to see this number of elderly people,” he said.

He said the programme demonstrated the need for greater attention to the needs of senior citizens.

Other participants, including Pastor Happy James, Mrs. Ngozi Okeke and traditional ruler, HRM King Moore MacLean, described the initiative as impactful and would contribute to a healthier and more inclusive society.