HISTORY - RUSOORD OLD AGE HOME FOR THE DEAF IN BELLVILLE

In 1994, dr Rocco Hough (Minister of the De la Bat Congregation in Bellville), Mr Mattie de Jager (Deaf leader) and other role players, identified the need for an old age home for the Deaf.

After many negotiations with the Department of Public Works, a piece of land close to the De la Bat congregation in Bellville was identified and purchased from the Department in 1995, Rusoord old age home was thereafter, built in two phases. The old age home was originally built according to the Abbyfield System, a European concept of self-care accommodation.

In 2007, NID took over the management of Rusoord from the De la Bat congregation in Bellville and Badisa. Since then, NID has incurred large capital expenses in order to make Rusoord safer and more accessible for the elderly Deaf residents. Rusoord for the Deaf in Bellville is the 1st old age home for the Deaf in South Africa where the full spectrum of support services, social and spiritual support, is provided to the elderly Deaf residents.

SoCoMo (Social Competency Model) is to be implemented at Rusoord from 2009 which will ensure that personnel and residents will follow a model for sustainable development with regard to care for our elderly Deaf residents.

Rusoord for the Deaf strives to live up to the values of the NID, ie: Christianity, Integrity, Ownership, Unity & Empowerment in their daily routine operations and activities.