SERVICES RENDERED TO NID ELDERLY DEAF RESIDENTS:

• HOUSING: NID provides housing at affordable rates to elderly Deaf persons ensuring that they live in a facility with other elderly Deaf persons where they feel safe, live in harmony with the community, live out their Deaf culture and can communicate in Sign Language (Deaf friendly environment)
• SECURITY: NID strives as far as possible to have all security measures in place so as to ensure the safety of the elderly Deaf residents at Rusoord in Bellville as well as at Shalom in Worcester.
• COMMUNICATION: Communication systems are in place at Rusoord as well as at Shalom in order to support the Deaf residents by way of lighting systems, visual posters, Sign Language communication, interpreter services etc.
• SOCIAL SERVICES: Rusoord in Bellville and Shalom in Worcester each have at their disposal a social worker who looks after the wellbeing of the elderly Deaf residents.
• SPIRITUAL CARE: The ministers of the De la Bat congregations for the Deaf in Bellville and Worcester are responsible for the spiritual care of the elderly Deaf residents. Staff members also take ownership in providing in this need.
• MEDICAL CARE: The High Care Unit for the frail Deaf at Rusoord is outsourced to a private medical organisation which provides 24/7 services to the residents. The residents of Shalom also have access to 24/7 medical services which are rendered by support services on the NID campus.
• EXERCISE PROGRAMMES: The staff of both old age homes present weekly exercise programmes to our elderly Deaf residents.
• RELAXATION & AMUSEMENT: The staff of both old age homes present weekly games programmes and activities to our elderly Deaf residents.
• EXCURSIONS: NID provides an excursion every quarter for our elderly Deaf residents. These outings include: visits to the zoo, aquarium, Kirstenbosch Nature Gardens, Butterfly World, visits to dairy / wine farms, visits to Cape Town (Table Mountain, Cape Point, Gardens etc.)
• OTHER: NID provides support to elderly Deaf persons with regard to transport and communication assistance during visits to, for example: clinics, hospitals, doctors, shops, banks, pension offices etc.

TAKE NOTE:
The elderly Deaf residents living at Rusoord (Bellville) and Shalom (Worcester) pay only minimal rent and all services as mentioned above are subsidised by NID and limited state aid wherefore funding must be found to ensure that the basic services can be rendered on a sustainable and quality basis to our elderly Deaf residents.

NID believes that our elderly Deaf have the right to reasonable and humanly decent care and this is exactly what we strive to ensure within the Elderly Deaf Care Department of NID.