Under the patronage of HE Sheikha Hessa bint Khalifa bin Hamad, SCFA Vice-President, SCFA, in collaboration with the Qatari Association for Care of the Elderly, to mark the International Day of the Elderly, organized in Sunday evening, 30th September 2007 in the Ramadhani Tent at the Association's headquarters, a seminar tilted Addressing Challenges and Opportunities in the Area of Ageing

The Seminar was moderated by Dr Ibrahim Deeb, Research and Studies Supervisor and Development Expert at the Association, and speakers included Dr Amina Al-Hail, Counseling Guide at the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, Dr Marwan Ramadhan of the Rumeilah Hospital, Dr Dhabia Al-Suleiti, Volunteer at the Qatar Center for Voluntary Action among the Delicate Touches Team. The Seminar was attended by Mr Mohammed Al-Jusaiman, Board of Directors Vice-Chair at the Association, Dr Hamda Al-Suleiti, Board of Directors members and staff at the Association, SCFA representatives, members of the the public and carers for elderly's issues

The Seminar aimed at discussing the most prominent challenges facing the elderly and finding the appropriate approaches to minimize and address these challenges, and to shed light on the dimensions and variables that emerge during old age and how to make use of the capacities and capabilities of the elderly segment to activate them in the community

Dr Ibrahim Deeb opened the Seminar by lauding the support offered by HH Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned, SCFA President through formulating the Elderly's Committee at SCFA, and the role played by the Committee in the area of serving the elderly. The Seminar discussed the most prominent challenges facing the elderly during old age and how to address them. Dr Ramadhan referred to the importance of geriatrics to address the ailments the elderly are exposed to. Dr Dhabia Al-Suleiti on her part pointed out the importance of the role played by the State in caring for the segment of the elderly. Dr Amina Al-Hail confirmed the necessity of physical and psychological care of the elderly through enhancing their feeling of belonging to the family and the community and to organize training courses for care-givers on how to understand the needs of the elderly and how to treat them

Mr. Mohammed Al-Jusiaman, Board of Directors Vice-Chair at the Association referred to the efforts exerted by the Association to make available on a highly efficient level all the services and needs necessary for the elderly in collaboration with the Department of Social Affairs at the Association and Hamad Hospital to ensure psychological therapy and to cover the entire treatment costs which the Association provide the elderly with. Dr Hamda Al-Suleiti, Member of the Association's Board of Directors added a number of significant remarks in the area of seizing opportunities to combat ageing, confirming the necessity to invest the the culminative energy the elderly have gained over the years

The Seminar in the end led to a number of recommendations of SCFA on the occasion of the International Day of the Elderly . These recommendations included the the necessity of awareness-raising and educating in the area of care of the elderly and the concern with this social segment, make use of the elderly's cumulative experience and skills, the communication of families with the institutions specialized in care of the elderly, activating the educational system in promoting values among students and keeping in touch with the media and calling the media to change the negative image of the elderly