Sahana Udaya Elders Retreat Home

            Sri Lanka, at present, is faced with a number of crises and predicaments that call for urgent attention. One such predicament is the increasing percentage of elderly persons in the Sri Lanka’s population, and the entailing problem of providing sustenance, care and protection for them. With the rapid change in social and economic conditions, the traditional extended family system has been replaced by nuclear family system. Besides, the ever increasing economic burden on people has forced certain families to neglect the care of the elders. This has put many an elder in a very pathetic situation. This condition has now extended even to families in rural areas.

             The magnitude of this particular problem is ever growing and it is clearly seen that the Government alone cannot successfully serve to alleviate the suffering of the elders. It is after taking into serious consideration all these factors that it was decided to establish a Home for the Elders called Sahana Udaya Elders' Retreat Home.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

  1. To look after elders who have no one to care for them.
  2. The direct beneficiaries of this programme are the elders who are over the age of 60 years. The following facts are considered when they are selected.
    • Elders of families that are, for valid reasons, unable to nurture and feed them.
    • Although there may be people or persons to look after the elders, there may be cases when they need some external aid to assure the security and protection of those elders. Such persons would also be considered by Sahana Udaya Elders Retreat Home.
    • If the Government or any other organization would recommend elders for due care and protection under their guidance, they too would be considered.
    • Only those elders, who can lead a fairly normal life without any physical or mental handicaps, will be accepted.
    • The targeted group of this programme will be given all facilities free of charge, since they are people with little or no income at all.

 SPECIAL OBJECTIVES

  • To improve the physical strength of resident elders.
  •  To give priority to nutrition of the elders
  • To conduct the medical health clinics and donate the audio and visual aid instruments.
  • To encourage elders to participate in indoor sports activities daily.
  • To encourage them to follow religious programmes.
  • To organize pilgrimages and picnics.
  • To conduct meditation programmes and disciplinary exercise.

THE BUILDING COMPLEX FOR THE ELDERS RETREAT HOME

The property at No.28, D.S.Kahawita Mawatha, Attidiya, Dehiwala, in extent of two and half acres owned by late Mr. D.S.Kahawita who lived at the same address, was transferred to Sri Lanka Public Trustee. The Public Trustee by a legal agreement has transferred this to the “Sahanoda Foundation” to construct a Home for Elders.

In the elders home building structure, a single room is to be shared by two persons and two such rooms contain one bathroom and eight such rooms have one common open area. The common open area can be utilized for the purpose of taking meals, relaxing, resting, viewing television, reading news papers etc.

Each storey of the building can accommodate sixteen elders thus providing facilities for thirty two elders in the two storey building. In addition to this an office complex, a kitchen, a dana sala and hostel facilities for the workers, staff members and volunteer assistants have already been constructed.

This two storey building was constructed and donated to the helpless elders by Mr. Bandula Weera-Wardana, the founder of Sahanoda Foundation spending his own private wealth.