There are 5,43 million people in South Africa over the age of 60, states StatsSA. Neighbourhood Old Age Homes (NOAH) is one of the few organisations that assist these individuals in stretching the Older Persons Grant (social pension) of less than R2000 per month.
Social pensioners are individuals that rely on the state for pension funding, and are a growing demographic in South Africa. According to the Western Cape government, as of 2020, over three million people receive an Older Persons Grant (social pension) in South Africa. The maximum amount that a pensioner will get is R1810, or R1880 if you are above the age of 75, it says. This is simply not enough, says Jane Mills, Social Enterprise Development Manager at Neighbourhood Old Age Homes (NOAH).
The provided pension grant is all they have to pay for accommodation, food, transport, medical care, clothes and basic needs, says Mills. NOAH is one of the few options available for social pensioners in South Africa, solving the primary issue of the high cost of accommodation. NOAH assists by providing community-based housing that is an affordable R140 per person per month, she says.
NOAH has 12 houses offering dignity, companionship and independence to 107 residents, says Mills. According to their 2020 annual report, the organisation currently have houses in Woodstock, Atlantis, Athlone, Maitland, Elsie’s Rivier and Ida’s Valley. The members living in each house all contribute towards their monthly expenses.
NOAH also has two community centres offering social and wellness support, and two primary health care clinics. According to Mills, the organisation has a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Department of Health, and members are able to have their medication delivered to the clinics. Instead of having to go to a state doctor, NOAH pays for a GP in both centres (Khayelitsha and Woodstock) and members also have access to a cardiac clinic.
“They have to obviously pay for their water and their lights as a collective. What’s quite amazing is as houses, they fundraise and do everything independently,” says Mills.
Sometimes it’s at no fault of their own that they’ve ended up without a steady retirement plan, it’s not like they’ve squandered their money, says Mills.
“Something that has to be factored in, certainly with our black membership, is that they weren’t able to save, they didn’t have access to pension funds and they couldn’t buy land,” she says.
Independence is a sentiment that is echoed by the residents. The organisation prioritises independence by allowing elderly people the opportunity to live in a dignified way, says Mills.
Participation and active engagement is also one of the core pillars at NOAH, aiming to avoid cognitive decline, she says. They offer this through social enterprise initiatives such as The Woodstock Trestle Table, a second-hand store providing income and purpose for nine pensioners, as well as a spaza shop and takeaway business.
“It is very important for us that people are kept busy in meaningful occupations and that they are engaged. Not only in their lives, but in the communities,” says Mills.
Age is just a number
Doreen Stoltenkamp, 73, has been at NOAH for nine years and says that being able to work at The Woodstock Trestle Table is something that she looks forward to each day. According to Mills, there are about 30 members who are still active and healthy enough to work at least 3 days a week in the various social enterprise initiatives.
Stoltenkamp says that stopping work at the designated retirement age of 65 is unrealistic for most South Africans. “You have a lot of life left at 65, I mean look i’m 73 and I still feel I can go on,” she says.
There is a very small population of South African’s that are able to stop working at 65, and there’s no reason why you should really stop working unless you genuinely can, says Mills.
“The idea, especially in South Africa and especially in the pandemic, that people must retire is bizarre,” she says.
According to Mills, when you get older, you become and feel invisible. Society looks at you like you’re redundant, which is what the social enterprise is trying to combat, says Mills.
“We see that a lack of purpose is a thing that ages people,” she says.
An element included in purpose is a support system, which is usually the family. According to Mills, a lot of pensioners do have relationships with their families, and some have no relationship whatsoever. Sometimes they’ve been horrible parents or have done something that their families choose to not engage with, she says.
“It’s easy for us to go on this plaque and say people are so neglected, and i’m not implying that they’re not, but there’s always two sides. Sometimes the reason that they’ve ended up in this situation, is because they’ve made terrible choices,” says Mills.
Shirley Jacobs, 75, has been at NOAH for 6 years and says that not being able to see her family was her biggest challenge in lockdown, second to not being able to work. Jacobs had a heart attack a few years ago and wears a pacemaker, but says that she is looking forward to returning to work at one of the fellow houses in December.
“I’m getting tired but I do everything by myself, the best thing is to be independent because I don’t want to be a burden on my children,” she says.
Fellow resident, Gail Arendse, is 68 and says that her independence is her favourite part about being at NOAH. But, she says that remaining independent is challenged by financial constraints.
“I don’t think the money is enough to be independent. As long as you can do something for yourself you’re fine, but if you can’t do anything then you’re not seen as important,” says Arendze.
Both Stoltenkamp and Arendze stopped working to take care of their mothers. Arendze says that she could not juggle both caring for her mother and working full time, and Stoltenkamp says that the company that she had worked for, for thirty years, did not offer her a retirement plan.
“R1810 will never be enough. The only support we get is from NOAH and they’re fantastic in keeping our rent affordable, but R1810 is never enough,” says Stoltenkamp.
The purpose and income driven by the revenue streams allows members to prioritise participation and to engage in meaningful activities, that show that they are a vital part of the community, even in retirement.
“I think the correct term is to age well, and aging well means different things for different people,” says Mills.