Nearly 200 bed-ridden elderly getting free meals from govt

The Aging Center, an agency of the local government that takes care of the needs of the islands’ senior citizens, posted a big spike in the number of its clients under the Homebound program which caters to bed-ridden elderly.

Aging Center executive director Walter Manglona disclosed to Saipan Tribune yesterday that to date, there are close to 200 senior citizens, or man’amko, who are availing of the daily free meals provided by the program.

This number, he admitted, reflects a significant increase from previous years’ client base that averaged more than a hundred.

Homebound is among the major programs administered by the Aging Center. It specifically serves bed-ridden man’amko, those elderly with some disabilities, as well as senior citizens living in secluded areas who have difficulty traveling to the center.

Manglona explained that each day, the Aging Center provides free meals to these clients using funding from the federal government.

Apart from the homebound clientele, the center has also over 80 registered congregates being served at the center. The figure, which also shows an increase from average clientele in the past, continues to rise day by day. As of yesterday, there remains pending applications for congregates that are up for review by the director.

Manglona said these more than 80 congregates refer to the active elderly who come daily to the center and participate in various programs and activities. Like the homebound clients, they are being offered free meals approved by a dietician.

Saipan Tribune learned that the decline in the Aging Center’s clientele—both for congregates and homebound—was due to deaths and relocation of members.

Among the factors for the increasing numbers, however, is attributed to the widespread promotions about the center’s programs.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of our senior citizens coming to our programs now. I think one factor is the promotions that we did. We used to average way below the numbers (we have), but now we’re seeing more,” he shared yesterday, adding that this only shows that they have been doing an effective promotion of the center’s services resulting in increased interest from the senior citizens.

Saipan Tribune learned that the nearly 200 homebound clients are only for Saipan. The Rota and Tinian aging centers each have about 30 bed-ridden elderly in the same program.

“I think the reason why man’amko want to come here [at the center] is to basically avail of the program and we’re happy to see them coming,” he said.

Besides the homebound and congregates, the Aging Center also provide free meals to other recipients: caregivers and family members who are taking care of their bed-ridden man’amko.