SAVF Silverjare reports favourably at AGM

The SAVF Silverjare old aged home in Bethal held its AGM on Friday 23 September 2021.

The Annual General Meeting was well organised and very informative. The Bulletin received a folder with all the necessary items neatly presented. Thank you to the organisers.

The meeting was opened in the usual manner with Ds Evert Bergh opening with prayer and a few words.

Ranelda Bergh addressed the group, speaking about “forgetting”. In a speech that had the occasional humour popping up, we were reminded that we all forget. When older people forget it is not because they are dumb or stupid, it is because… well… they forget!

She said that her 81-year-old mother always jokes “How do old people keep fit? They keep looking for their things,”

“We all live with the frustration of forgetting,” said Ranelda, “I often walk to my room only to forget why. I then have to return to where I started just to remember.”

“What happens to our lives and those close to us when the Forgetting becomes strange?” she continued, “What happens if the Forgetting becomes a stumbling block, changing your quality of life?”

“How do you feel when the one that knows you the best in the whole world can not remember your name and face? What happens when your mother can recognise your picture as a child but cannot recognise you when you are seated in front of her?”

Sister Christa Botha spoke about Dementia, Alzheimer’s and related illnesses.

It is a sad reality of life that such illnesses affect some people as they grow older. It is not an illness that is easily diagnosed in the early stages.

She explained how they treat people with Dementia, Alzheimer’s and related illnesses. She also explained how to keep them occupied and how to help them keep their dignity. “We tend to take things out of their hands if they cannot do it,” Christ explained, “leave them to try and figure it out by themselves. Don’t take it out of their hands. Even if it takes them 10 days to accomplish the task.”

Hennie Jordaan, Chairman of the Service Management, thanked our Heavenly Father for His Kindness, Greatness, Love and Grace.

“Last year I said that I did not want to experience another year such as the past year but we are still gripped in the devastating grip of the Covid pandemic,” said Hennie

“We were very unfortunate to have lost people that have passed in this past year. The passing of residents that were here for several years made the loss so much harder.”

Hennie continued to thank those that contributed to the success of SAVF Silverjare, both the staff and the service management.

Hennie made an appeal to every volunteer to try and recruit at least one more volunteer for the next year.

SAVF Silverjare is a Home for needy, frail, aged persons of all racial groups above 60 years. They also cater for people, over 60, with physical disabilities.

Magriet Scholtz reported on the Home and its finances. “SAVF Silverjare continued, despite the covid restrictions and isolations, to render quality and professional services,” she said.

The staff and volunteers when out of their way to make it possible for families to keep in contact with each other. They used every available method to help families to keep in contact.

The home serves 97 people currently. This includes the day-care patients that are looked after during the day before returning to their families.

It is also clear that the staff are emotionally drained due to several factors that include the loss of residents, colleagues and family.

One of the biggest fears is that the staff would bring COVID into the Home infecting the patients.

One positive from Covid is that more and more families are trying to care for their elderly at home.

Magriet Scholtz explained all the measures that they took to keep the home viable and stable.

“The audited financial statements are available for those that need to have insights into it,” said Magriet, “The contribution, compensation during the lockdown, from the Government was a mere R25000. We are extremely happy about it but it is a drop in the ocean.”

“Fundraising and Donations drop by over R530000 during the reporting period, but we managed to cut our expenses etc to cover the deficit. It took extreme financial control,” concluded Magriet. “I am very pleased to report that we ended the year with a positive financial position.”

A new Service Management Team was elected and it was unanimously decided to keep the same team as the past year.

If you should need info about SAVF Silverjare or would like to contribute you may contact them at: silwerjare.manager@savf.co.za or 017 647 2545

They are situated at 27 du Plooy street 2310 Bethal East, South Africa