All Residential facilities for Older Persons must be registered | Western Cape Government

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All Residential facilities for Older Persons must be registered

9 March 2021

All residential facilities for older persons are required to be registered with the provincial Department of Social Development (DSD).

The provincial DSD’s role as stipulated in the Older Persons Act, No 13 of 2006, is to register residential facilities and to monitor adherence to norms and standards of care within facilities.

In promoting the rights and dignity of older persons, the Department has also developed mechanisms for the monitoring of services for Older Persons in residential facilities and community-based centres.

“It is illegal for any facility to provide accommodation services to older persons without being registered. Our elderly citizens deserve nothing less than to be treated with absolute dignity and respect,” said the Western Cape Minister for Social Development, Sharna Fernandez. 

Whilst the Department partners with the NPO sector, other government departments, tertiary institutions and local authorities in providing access to quality services to vulnerable Older Persons, all old age homes are owned and managed independently.

In the Western Cape, there is a total of 300 old age homes of which, 117 are funded by the provincial DSD.

For the 2020/21 financial year, R 250 million has been budgeted towards services for Older persons.

Residential facilities already funded by this department do not need to submit their contact details as we are aware of their services.

The following facilities need to apply for registration:

·        Residential facilities not funded by this department and rendering accommodation and 24-hour care and services to older persons.

·        Facilities where older persons or frail older persons are cared for or accommodated, such as boarding houses, shelters and even private homes.

·        Retirement villages that render care and services to older persons in a sickbay.

DSD wishes to invite both individuals and organisations to submit the name of their establishment, along with full contact details, to  Debra.Fortuin@westerncape.gov.za or to Department of Social Development, Private Bag X9112, Cape Town 8000.

For more information about our other services, please refer to the Western Cape Department’s Website below:

https://www.westerncape.gov.za/dept/social-development

Media Enquiries: 

Joshua Covenant Chigome

Spokesperson for the Minister of Social Development, Minister Sharna Fernandez

Tel: 021 483 9217

Cell: 083 661 4949

Email: Joshua.chigome@westerncape.gov.za­