Health and Psychological Support for a Group of Elderlies in Lebanon

On the 24th of January, the medical team at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) collaborated with ABAAD association and the Lebanese university, to launch an event under the title of “Everyone Deserves a Better Life” in which a Health Session and a Psychosocial session were held in parallel for 25 beneficiaries. The event took place at the Our Lady Dispensary, affiliated with MECC, and located in the Sabtieh region - Lebanon.

The Health Session aimed to promote health and a good nutritional diet, as well as a positive mental wellbeing. For this reason, 4 nutritionists from the Lebanese University inspected the beneficiaries by checking their weight, height, blood pressure, Hemoglobin level for warning signs such as Anemia, and made recommendations for a proper nutritional diet. Also 4 social workers from the Lebanese University evaluated their mental health condition and collected information regarding the things that they need in their life to be happy.

As for the psychosocial session, it aimed to promote gender equality in different age and social groups aiming to identify and address harmful social norms and cultures related to gender inequality and GBV problems even with elderlies. In order to foster a sense of communion among the attendees, the 4 social workers from ABAAD, first began the session by asking the participants to tell stories about their childhood and about how life was different back then. In this way, people got to know one another realizing that they are not so different.

Undoubtedly, beneficiaries also vented their frustrations about the current living conditions and how it was better back then. Nevertheless, this made them closer to one another because it made them realize they are quite alike. As such, they started to talk amongst each other about certain activities such as shopping, cooking, and reading. They also discussed the customs and traditions from their villages or areas of origin which they have carried with them to the communities they reside.

Participants also talked about what pushes them forward such as hope and the love of giving. Some felt so much at east that they started to share personal stories which made the bond among them grow. Jokes and laughs also took the scene adding to the positive energy the session held. The social worker also proceeded with distributing strands of paper containing Lebanese proverbs from all over the country. Attendees started discussing them and they discovered that each proverb means something different to each one of them. Moreover, carton-cut flowers were distributed in which each person wrote phrases, proverbs, bible verses, or anything that is meaningful to them. The highlight of the session was that everyone used musical instruments to sing songs they made up.

The elderly participating in the session claimed that it was ‘like therapy’ and therefore made a difference in their lives which ridden with loneliness and solitude.