Retirees and the elderly... their needs between reality and hope

According to the latest statistic on the population census in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, issued in mid-2020 by the General Authority for Statistics, the population is 35,013,414 people, the number of those over sixty years old or starting the retirement phase is 1,919,322, with a rate of more than 5.4% of the total population. Elderly people are defined as anyone over the age of sixty of either gender. While retired men and women are defined as all those whose period of practical service has ended and they started the retirement stage, according to the latest statistics of the General Authority for Statistics for the year 2022, the total number of retirees in Saudi Arabia is 730,431,000, and this number calls for optimal preparation to meet his needs. Everyone who belongs to one of these two categories is considered a strong candidate to benefit from the decisions and regulations that work in their interest, because of the importance of the stage they will begin, and the need for cooperation between government and private institutions.

The proposed plans for the two categories include plans that can be implemented in the short term and those that can be implemented in the long term. Some of the short-term plans include, for the Entertainment Authority to make a specific discount on ticket prices and other services for the authority for each of those who have completed sixty years or the beginning of the retirement stage, the purpose is to contribute to increasing the bonds between the elderly and retirees with their families by allocating more shared time between them, and achieving Make greater use of their uninvested long time, as well as allocating seats for them in events that provide easy access and clear viewing, taking into account their physical and visual ability.

On the other hand, sports clubs have a role in contributing to improving their lives. Maintaining the required health status, resulting from sports, has a major role in enhancing positive energy for them, which has the best psychological impact on them, by allocating sports classes for those over sixty years of age. It will help them physically and develop their positive spirit as a result of having something to fill their schedule and not just seeing it as an empty day without any plans. In addition, to allocate their own card that includes many advantages for them in different sectors

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Also, the Culture Authority can organize competitions of multiple levels, dedicated to the areas of reading, writing, poetry, and recitation, and discuss the content of a book for both categories according to their level, as reading is considered one of the safe fields for a large percentage of them because they are familiar with it and away from the technology that many of them do not prefer. These competitions may extend from the local area to include the elderly and retirees in the Gulf countries and the Arab world to increase the level of competitiveness among the groups of interest and invest their time in what adds to them and make them happy

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In addition to this, developing what is considered a talent or passion is very important to them, for example, setting up classes to teach and develop cooking skills, handicrafts, drawing, etc. will help them practice and develop their hobby. On the other hand, exploiting the development of these talents in a commercial way delights its practitioners. These handicrafts that are manufactured with a certain quality can be displayed by the Family Council of the Ministry of Human Resources on a website dedicated to displaying the products of the elderly and retirees, marketing them locally and internationally, and displaying them in the Saudi Missions. And international conferences and exhibitions in which the Kingdom participates.

Establishing classes to teach computer principles to keep pace with modern technologies, eradicate illiteracy, or develop reading and writing skills for those who need them, is a very important goal and is beneficial to society in general and not only to the individual. Also, conducting classes to raise awareness of healthy nutrition, or first aid in anticipation of any health situation that a person or those accompanying him may face will be of great benefit to them. As an initial solution, prayer and meeting halls in mosques, and classrooms in schools, can be allocated as a place for the elderly and retired people to gather to receive their lectures until allocating halls or centers for them. It is also possible to allocate buses due to some of them having difficulty driving or needing constant escort, this Buses may be given as a gift by companies or individuals as part of social responsibility, or they can contribute outside of their times of need to transporting the elderly

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Also, visiting schools and giving lectures to students about their experiences in life, old and outdated customs, scientific and career fields, and the advantages of each field. In addition to this and given the negative psychological state that a large percentage of retirees and the elderly may feel as a result of starting a new, unclear phase at a critical time in their lives, providing them with an emergency phone for psychological consultations throughout the day from a specialist in psychiatric diseases for the elderly will be of great benefit on them.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Human Resources is one of the agencies that have the ability to implement many important projects with a positive return on these two categories. For example, many retirees have long scientific and practical experiences. These experiences can be used to receive suggestions and ideas for developing current projects in the public and private sectors, so preparing the ministries for their website to receive their suggestions regarding any project, and to convey their voice to decision-makers, will achieve great benefit from the experts. Also, many volunteer vacancies can be allocated to them throughout the year, which are announced by institutions and bodies

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In conclusion, the design and implementation of a rehabilitation program for the post-retirement stage for those coming it, by the Ministry of Human Resources in partnership with the rest of the bodies and institutions, is a matter of great positive return on retirees, for example, they can be trained to obtain a training license from the General Organization for Vocational and Technical Training to refine Their training skills with their scientific and practical experience, which will qualify them to be highly qualified trainers to practice training, or to become writers in their creative field, for the post-retirement stage.