The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Dubai Municipality has announced that it will continue to implement the community initiative “Senior Citizen Gardens” by creating more gardens in 15 homes during 2019. Meeting the criteria set for such gardens, the initiative has proved to be successful by positively impacting the health of senior citizens by enhancing their happiness and integration into society.

The Community Development Authority (CDA) in Dubai monitored the health and psychological condition of the beneficiaries of the initiative to measure its benefit and saw a marked improvement in their movement abilities and mental conditions. The initiative also contributed to reducing the proportion of complaints of joint pain by 40 per cent.

The move is in line with the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the vision of Dubai Municipality to build a happy and sustainable city.

Dawoud Al Hajri, Director General of Dubai Municipality said, “Based on the directives of Sheikh Mohammed, on the care and attention towards senior citizens in honour of their influential role in the community, Dubai Municipality, in cooperation with CDA, is committed to providing all kinds of support for their satisfaction and happiness by designing and creating home gardens for senior citizens free of charge.”

“We, at Dubai Municipality, will continue to provide support to this group and we will enhance community service to all other groups to achieve the Municipality’s vision of building a happy and sustainable city,” he added.

Manal Bin Yaarouf Al Suwaidi, Director of Customer and Partners Relations Department at Dubai Municipality, said, “Our sponsorship of this initiative is an extension of national strategies and visions that promote social solidarity among all segments of the society. It reflects our appreciation for senior citizens for their efforts throughout their lives to serve the nation. It is also in accordance with our values, especially as they represent an important part of the social environment.”

“Through this initiative, we aim to help them to lead a decent life and to engage in their free time in useful work, which will contribute to the promotion of the principle of happiness and satisfaction in their lives. The initiative will also help them actively participate in the development process in the Emirate,” she said.