Anse Boileau Home for the Elderly celebrates its silver jubilee |24 June 2019

Minister Larue addressing the gathering

The Anse Boileau Home for the Elderly opened its doors to its occupants 25 years ago, on June 19, 1994. The facility is among the first elderly homes in the country.

To mark its silver jubilee, a special mass and lunch were held yesterday for the home’s residents and staff.

In attendance were the Minister for Family Affairs Mitcy Larue, MNA (Member of the National Assembly) for Anse Boileau Phillip Arrisol, the chief executive of the National Council for the Elderly Lise Marie-France Pereira and the director for elderly homes across the country Sylvia Stravens.

The mass was presided by Father Jacques Legrand from Anse Bolieau’s Église de Notre Dame de Sept Douleurs along with Father Colin Underwood from the Anse Royale parish.

It is to be noted that Father Underwood has also been recently tasked with supporting the community of elderly citizens living in homes with their spiritual well-being.

“More than 25 years ago the government had a vision to bring homes of the elderly to the country’s ageing population. This was to ensure that the elderly are not left behind because they are the ones who have contributed enormously to our current society and from whose efforts the younger generation are benefitting,” Minister Larue noted during her remarks.

“The government has now seen it necessary to expand these homes and Anse Boileau is among one of those homes which we plan to extend by adding more units so that we can accommodate others who are on the waiting list,” she further added.

The Anse Boileau home currently consists of ten housing units, all of which are occupied.

The minister remarked that the elderly are in homes for a variety of reasons, but she nonetheless urged family members to not reject or abandon their ageing parents.

“Let’s give them the love and care which they deserve in their last moments,” the minister stressed.

Minister Larue further made a plea to the elderly, encouraging them to exercise frequently and to remain active.

Sixty-six-year-old Marie-Alice Mathurin, the administrator of the Anse Boileau home, was presented with a shield and token of appreciation for having served at the home for 25 years.

“Over the last 25 years, I have seen great improvement in the home,” Mrs Mathurin noted, adding that there are some ups and downs in her line of work.

“Each of our residents are from different family backgrounds and you have to get used to their ways and understand them. If someone comes in drunk you have to be able to know how to handle them; you don’t approach them until they are sober or else the situation might escalate,” she explained.

Seychelles NATION did not miss to speak with 93-year-old Emilie Reginald, the home’s longest live-in resident who has been at the facility since 2002.

Originally from Roche Bois, Mrs Reginald who has no children said that she leads a happy life and is content at the home.