Senior Citizens Month Commences With National Church Service In Montego Bay

Senior Citizens’ Month is being observed from September 1 to October 1 under the theme: ‘Respect, Protect, Empower, Connect’.

Activities, programmed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, will commence with the National Church Service on Sunday, September 7, at Calvary Baptist Church in Montego Bay, beginning 10:00 a.m.

The events continue with the National Ageing Fair, scheduled for September 11 at Emancipation Park in Kingston. The day’s activities will run from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Caribbean Wellness Day will be observed on September 13, with parish-level activities islandwide promoting healthy ageing and active lifestyles.

The programme continues with the Seniors 3K Purple Run/Walk at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, on September 14, starting 6:30 a.m.; the National Senior Spelling Bee Finals on September 17, at 9:00 a.m.; and the Seniors Open Market on September 19 at 8:00 a.m., on Lower Harbour Street in Falmouth, Trelawny.

World Alzheimer’s Day will be observed on September 21, followed by a Digital Literacy Webinar for Older Adults on September 24 at the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Library.

A Farmers’ Market is slated for September 25 at 11 West Kings House Road, Kingston, beginning 8:00 a.m., while the Digital Literacy Programme Graduation Ceremony will be held at Stony Hill HEART Academy on September 26 at 10:00 a.m.

National Grandparents Day will be celebrated on September 28. The month will conclude with the observance of the International Day of Older Persons on October 1.

Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dione Jennings, who spoke during the recent launch of the month-long observance, underscored the importance of supporting older persons.

She noted that the scheduled engagements are designed to “bring more visibility to the activities, programmes, and policies for seniors.”

“Seniors will showcase that age does not diminish creativity, age does not diminish vitality, and age does not diminish purpose,” Mrs. Jennings stated.

The Acting Permanent Secretary praised the nation’s senior citizens for their lifelong contributions as teachers, farmers, artisans, creatives, parents, and grandparents.

She noted that they continue to shape communities and serve as guiding lights for younger generations, adding “they are… the living story of our nation.”

Mrs. Jennings also commended the National Council for Senior Citizens (NCSC) for its decades of dedicated service, highlighting impactful initiatives such as the Meals on Wheels programme, home help services, digital literacy training, and daily activity centres that continue to enrich the lives of older Jamaicans.

She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to continued collaboration with the NCSC and strategic partners to safeguard the dignity, rights, and well-being of older persons.

“When we do this, we create a Jamaica where our seniors live, not in isolation, but in inclusion, not in neglect, but in respect, not in silence, but in recognition and joy and fulfillment,” Mrs. Jennings added.