Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly (Guarantors of Favour) under the umbrella of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation is established in Ghana as a charitable Trust Deed, duly registered on 21st February, 2014 at the Registrar-General's Department in Accra with the registration number CG089012014. On the 16th January, 2015, the foundation's name was changed from Mawuena Foundation to Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation.
We ensure that our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves thereby extending happiness to them. We aim at providing a voice platform for action on the concerns of the elderly, social justice, poverty reduction through self-help initiatives to achieve sustainable development practices and influence policy and practice to end social exclusion and poverty.
Our philosophy is based on the reality that every human being is a unique individual and that we all have a right to good health and basic needs and should access means to a comfortable life in one way or another.
Gone were the days, when the elderly of Africa were well taken care of by their loved ones. These days because of the fact that, their daughters/sons are married and due to the western world's influence, it is no more easy to take them to their marriage homes because of previous situations that occurred, and also because of the fact that some have almost all the children living abroad and/or very far from their hometowns because of their professional responsibilities, the scenario of Ghana is now looking like that of the first world countries. In these cases, the children rely on close relatives who they pay to be taking care of their parents.
At the Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly we will be widely known and highly regarded for our comprehensive and individualized treatment. Quality care will characterize each service provided by our deeply committed staff. Whether helping new residents to comfortably adjust to nursing home life, administering medical treatments or performing clinical assessments, we shall always be mindful of residents' welfare. Staff members will take pride in seeing our residents chatting, laughing and enjoying themselves with new and old friends.
We shall have the following services:
• Clinical Services.
• Short-term and Long-term Rehabilitation.
• Physical and Occupational Therapy.
• Resident Social Life and Personal Care.
• Social Work and Advocacy.
The Board of Trustees of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation, led by Dr. Emmanuel Yao Voado, MD., the Founder, will select the Management Committee that will see to the day to day administration of Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly. He is a Ghanaian neurosurgeon trained in Cuba. He was the medical doctor who first opened a neurosurgical service in the country of Belize. He practiced there for 5 years and worked in the United States for 6 years before relocating to Africa in September, 2013. He is working diligently on the cure of Spinal Cord Injuries.
The home for the Elderly will be headquartered in Tsopoli in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana.
We ensure that our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves thereby extending happiness to them. We aim at providing a voice platform for action on the concerns of the elderly, social justice, poverty reduction through self-help initiatives to achieve sustainable development practices and influence policy and practice to end social exclusion and poverty.
Our philosophy is based on the reality that every human being is a unique individual and that we all have a right to good health and basic needs and should access means to a comfortable life in one way or another.
Gone were the days, when the elderly of Africa were well taken care of by their loved ones. These days because of the fact that, their daughters/sons are married and due to the western world's influence, it is no more easy to take them to their marriage homes because of previous situations that occurred, and also because of the fact that some have almost all the children living abroad and/or very far from their hometowns because of their professional responsibilities, the scenario of Ghana is now looking like that of the first world countries. In these cases, the children rely on close relatives who they pay to be taking care of their parents.
At the Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly we will be widely known and highly regarded for our comprehensive and individualized treatment. Quality care will characterize each service provided by our deeply committed staff. Whether helping new residents to comfortably adjust to nursing home life, administering medical treatments or performing clinical assessments, we shall always be mindful of residents' welfare. Staff members will take pride in seeing our residents chatting, laughing and enjoying themselves with new and old friends.
We shall have the following services:
• Clinical Services.
• Short-term and Long-term Rehabilitation.
• Physical and Occupational Therapy.
• Resident Social Life and Personal Care.
• Social Work and Advocacy.
The Board of Trustees of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation, led by Dr. Emmanuel Yao Voado, MD., the Founder, will select the Management Committee that will see to the day to day administration of Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly. He is a Ghanaian neurosurgeon trained in Cuba. He was the medical doctor who first opened a neurosurgical service in the country of Belize. He practiced there for 5 years and worked in the United States for 6 years before relocating to Africa in September, 2013. He is working diligently on the cure of Spinal Cord Injuries.
The home for the Elderly will be headquartered in Tsopoli in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana.
Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly (Guarantors of Favour) under the umbrella of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation was established in Ghana as a charitable Trust Deed, duly registered on 21st February, 2014 at the Registrar-General's Department in Accra with the registration number CG089012014. On the 16th January, 2015, the foundation's name was changed from Mawuena Foundation to Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation.
We pursue breaking the backbone of generational poverty where the captives of destiny, the marginalised, shall become the frontliners.
We have the purpose of ensuring that our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves thereby extending happiness to them.
We aim at providing a voice platform for action on the concerns of the elderly, social justice, poverty reduction through self-help initiatives to achieve sustainable development practices and influence policy and practice to end social exclusion and poverty.
Our philosophy is based on the reality that every human being is a unique individual and that we all have a right to good health and basic needs and should access means to a comfortable life in one way or another.
The Board of Trustees of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation, led by Dr. Emmanuel Yao Voado, MD., the Founder, will select the Management Committee that will see to the day to day administration of Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly. He is a Ghanaian neurosurgeon trained in Cuba. He was the medical doctor who first opened a neurosurgical service in the country of Belize. He practiced there for 5 years and worked in the United States for 6 years before relocating to Africa in September, 2013. He is working diligently on the cure of Spinal Cord Injuries.
We pursue breaking the backbone of generational poverty where the captives of destiny, the marginalised, shall become the frontliners.
We have the purpose of ensuring that our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves thereby extending happiness to them.
We aim at providing a voice platform for action on the concerns of the elderly, social justice, poverty reduction through self-help initiatives to achieve sustainable development practices and influence policy and practice to end social exclusion and poverty.
Our philosophy is based on the reality that every human being is a unique individual and that we all have a right to good health and basic needs and should access means to a comfortable life in one way or another.
The Board of Trustees of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation, led by Dr. Emmanuel Yao Voado, MD., the Founder, will select the Management Committee that will see to the day to day administration of Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly. He is a Ghanaian neurosurgeon trained in Cuba. He was the medical doctor who first opened a neurosurgical service in the country of Belize. He practiced there for 5 years and worked in the United States for 6 years before relocating to Africa in September, 2013. He is working diligently on the cure of Spinal Cord Injuries.
The headquarters of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation will be located in Bundase in the Greater Accra Region.
Ghana is located in Western Africa and borders Burkina Faso, Cote d’Ivoire, and Togo. This country occupies a total area of 238,533 square kilometers and has a population of approximately 29,786,408 as of January 5, 2019. The population of West Africa is estimated at 387,246,061 people as of January 8, 2019.
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state, but he died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, however, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that the Ghana’s presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy.
Formed from the merger of the British colony of the Gold Coast and the Togoland trust territory, Ghana in 1957 became the first sub-Saharan country in colonial Africa to gain its independence. Ghana endured a series of coups before Lt. Jerry RAWLINGS took power in 1981 and banned political parties. After approving a new constitution and restoring multiparty politics in 1992, RAWLINGS won presidential elections in 1992 and 1996 but was constitutionally prevented from running for a third term in 2000. John KUFUOR of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) succeeded him and was reelected in 2004. John Atta MILLS of the National Democratic Congress won the 2008 presidential election and took over as head of state, but he died in July 2012 and was constitutionally succeeded by his vice president, John Dramani MAHAMA, who subsequently won the December 2012 presidential election. In 2016, however, Nana Addo Dankwa AKUFO-ADDO of the NPP defeated MAHAMA, marking the third time that the Ghana’s presidency has changed parties since the return to democracy.
Economy
Ghana has a market-based economy with relatively few policy barriers to trade and investment in comparison with other countries in the region, and Ghana is endowed with natural resources. Ghana's economy was strengthened by a quarter century of relatively sound management, a competitive business environment, and sustained reductions in poverty levels, but in recent years has suffered the consequences of loose fiscal policy, high budget and current account deficits, and a depreciating currency.
Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and employs more than half of the workforce, mainly small landholders. Gold, oil, and cocoa exports, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. Expansion of Ghana’s nascent oil industry has boosted economic growth, but the fall in oil prices since 2015 reduced by half Ghana’s oil revenue. Production at Jubilee, Ghana's first commercial offshore oilfield, began in mid-December 2010. Production from two more fields, TEN and Sankofa, started in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The country’s first gas processing plant at Atuabo is also producing natural gas from the Jubilee field, providing power to several of Ghana’s thermal power plants.
As of 2018, key economic concerns facing the government include the lack of affordable electricity, lack of a solid domestic revenue base, and the high debt burden. The AKUFO-ADDO administration has made some progress by committing to fiscal consolidation, but much work is still to be done. Ghana signed a $920 million extended credit facility with the IMF in April 2015 to help it address its growing economic crisis. The IMF fiscal targets require Ghana to reduce the deficit by cutting subsidies, decreasing the bloated public sector wage bill, strengthening revenue administration, boosting tax revenues, and improving the health of Ghana’s banking sector. Priorities for the new administration include rescheduling some of Ghana’s $31 billion debt, stimulating economic growth, reducing inflation, and stabilizing the currency. Prospects for new oil and gas production and follow through on tighter fiscal management are likely to help Ghana’s economy in 2018.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $134 billion (2017 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $47.02 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,700 (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 80.1% (2017 est.)government consumption: 8.6% (2017 est.)investment in fixed capital: 13.7% (2017 est.)investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)exports of goods and services: 43% (2017 est.)imports of goods and services: -46.5% (2017 est.)GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 18.3% (2017 est.)
industry: 24.5% (2017 est.)
services: 57.2% (2017 est.)Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: 16.7% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 12.49 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 44.7%
industry: 14.4%
services: 40.9% (2013 est.)
Agriculture accounts for about 20% of GDP and employs more than half of the workforce, mainly small landholders. Gold, oil, and cocoa exports, and individual remittances, are major sources of foreign exchange. Expansion of Ghana’s nascent oil industry has boosted economic growth, but the fall in oil prices since 2015 reduced by half Ghana’s oil revenue. Production at Jubilee, Ghana's first commercial offshore oilfield, began in mid-December 2010. Production from two more fields, TEN and Sankofa, started in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The country’s first gas processing plant at Atuabo is also producing natural gas from the Jubilee field, providing power to several of Ghana’s thermal power plants.
As of 2018, key economic concerns facing the government include the lack of affordable electricity, lack of a solid domestic revenue base, and the high debt burden. The AKUFO-ADDO administration has made some progress by committing to fiscal consolidation, but much work is still to be done. Ghana signed a $920 million extended credit facility with the IMF in April 2015 to help it address its growing economic crisis. The IMF fiscal targets require Ghana to reduce the deficit by cutting subsidies, decreasing the bloated public sector wage bill, strengthening revenue administration, boosting tax revenues, and improving the health of Ghana’s banking sector. Priorities for the new administration include rescheduling some of Ghana’s $31 billion debt, stimulating economic growth, reducing inflation, and stabilizing the currency. Prospects for new oil and gas production and follow through on tighter fiscal management are likely to help Ghana’s economy in 2018.
GDP (purchasing power parity): $134 billion (2017 est.)
GDP (official exchange rate): $47.02 billion (2017 est.) (2017 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 8.4% (2017 est.)
GDP - per capita (PPP): $4,700 (2017 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use:
household consumption: 80.1% (2017 est.)government consumption: 8.6% (2017 est.)investment in fixed capital: 13.7% (2017 est.)investment in inventories: 1.1% (2017 est.)exports of goods and services: 43% (2017 est.)imports of goods and services: -46.5% (2017 est.)GDP - composition, by sector of origin:
agriculture: 18.3% (2017 est.)
industry: 24.5% (2017 est.)
services: 57.2% (2017 est.)Agriculture - products: cocoa, rice, cassava (manioc, tapioca), peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas; timber
Industries: mining, lumbering, light manufacturing, aluminum smelting, food processing, cement, small commercial ship building, petroleum
Industrial production growth rate: 16.7% (2017 est.)
Labor force: 12.49 million (2017 est.)
Labor force - by occupation:
agriculture: 44.7%
industry: 14.4%
services: 40.9% (2013 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 9.6 % ( July,2018.)
Africa is the second-largest continent about 30.2 million km2 (11.7 million sq. mi), after Asia, in size and population. The continent is surrounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, both the Suez Canal and the Red Sea along the Sinai Peninsula to the northeast, the Indian Ocean to the southeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and Europe to the north. The continent includes Madagascar and various archipelagos.
The population of Africa is estimated at 1.17 billion people as of 2015 accounting for about 16.7% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest among all the continents; 50% of Africans are 19 years old or younger. Algeria is Africa's largest country by area and Nigeria is the largest by population.
Africa, particularly central Eastern Africa, is widely accepted as the place of origin of humans and the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago.
The population of Africa is estimated at 1.17 billion people as of 2015 accounting for about 16.7% of the world's human population. Africa's population is the youngest among all the continents; 50% of Africans are 19 years old or younger. Algeria is Africa's largest country by area and Nigeria is the largest by population.
Africa, particularly central Eastern Africa, is widely accepted as the place of origin of humans and the Hominidae clade (great apes), as evidenced by the discovery of the earliest hominids and their ancestors, as well as later ones that have been dated to around seven million years ago.
History
At about 3300 BC, the historical record opens in Northern Africa with the rise of literacy in the Pharaonic civilization of Ancient Egypt. One of the world's earliest and longest-lasting civilizations, the Egyptian state continued, with varying levels of influence over other areas, until 343 BC.
Climate:
Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones.
The climate of Africa ranges from tropical to subarctic on its highest peaks. Its northern half is primarily desert, or arid, while its central and southern areas contain both savanna plains and very dense jungle (rainforest) regions. In between, there is a convergence, where vegetation patterns such as Sahel and steppe dominate. Africa is the hottest continent on earth and 60% of the entire land surface consists of dry lands and deserts.
Africa straddles the equator and encompasses numerous climate areas; it is the only continent to stretch from the northern temperate to southern temperate zones.
The climate of Africa ranges from tropical to subarctic on its highest peaks. Its northern half is primarily desert, or arid, while its central and southern areas contain both savanna plains and very dense jungle (rainforest) regions. In between, there is a convergence, where vegetation patterns such as Sahel and steppe dominate. Africa is the hottest continent on earth and 60% of the entire land surface consists of dry lands and deserts.
Politics
Today, Africa contains 54 sovereign countries, nine territories and two de facto independent states with limited or no recognition. Connected with the Indian Ocean the islands of Africa are the Union of the Comoros, Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Seychelles, and Republic of Mauritius. In the Atlantic Ocean we have Republic of Cape Verde, Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe. Others are Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, and Eritrea.
The vast majority of African states are republics that operate under some form of the presidential system of rule. The improved stability and economic reforms have led to a great increase in foreign investment into many African nations, mainly from China, which has spurred quick economic growth in many countries, seemingly ending decades of stagnation and decline.
Some seven African countries are in the top 10 fastest growing economies in the world. If you look at countries like Mozambique, Angola, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Togo – all of those markets have shown exceptional growth and real stability and with that you almost get a new investment climate for these countries. This allows you to have a new emerging middle class and with that comes a very vibrant entrepreneurship culture, businessmen or women who want access to technology and to innovate.
Several African economies are among the world’s fastest growing as of 2011. As of 2013, these are some of the Africa countries growing by more than 5.0% in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These are South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Rwanda, Mozambique, Eritrea, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Gabon, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Mauritania, Niger, Congo, Zambia, Angola, Uganda, Togo, Nigeria, Morocco and Kenya.
The vast majority of African states are republics that operate under some form of the presidential system of rule. The improved stability and economic reforms have led to a great increase in foreign investment into many African nations, mainly from China, which has spurred quick economic growth in many countries, seemingly ending decades of stagnation and decline.
Some seven African countries are in the top 10 fastest growing economies in the world. If you look at countries like Mozambique, Angola, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Togo – all of those markets have shown exceptional growth and real stability and with that you almost get a new investment climate for these countries. This allows you to have a new emerging middle class and with that comes a very vibrant entrepreneurship culture, businessmen or women who want access to technology and to innovate.
Several African economies are among the world’s fastest growing as of 2011. As of 2013, these are some of the Africa countries growing by more than 5.0% in real Gross Domestic Product (GDP). These are South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Rwanda, Mozambique, Eritrea, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Gabon, Burkina Faso, The Gambia, Mauritania, Niger, Congo, Zambia, Angola, Uganda, Togo, Nigeria, Morocco and Kenya.
Born in 1971 to a Christian family of scarce resources in Tefle, Volta Region, Ghana, he always dreamed of breaking the back bone of poverty through education. At the age of 12, he received a prophecy that he would be going abroad to further his education. In 1985, at age 14, the prophecy was accomplished but not without difficulties. After taking the exams to send students to Cuba, he placed first in his district but was unlawfully replaced by the son of the most powerful politician of the district. A concerned citizen sent him to the office of President Jerry John Rawlings, when he was allowed to participate in the national test in which he became first. This event was indeed a shock to many.
He was in Cuba for 17 years, right from the junior high school to the medical school and subsequently to the postgraduate specialist course of Neurosurgery. While in Cuba as a student, he continued the brilliant academic work; he won many awards including best student in Chemistry at the Cuban National Level Quizzes for 3 consecutive years where students from 35 countries then studied. He wrote an Organic Chemistry book which was meant for the preparation of the high performance students who aspired to participate in the World Olympiad of Chemistry. He was summa cum laude (first) in all the levels of education including the medical school and the Specialty of Neurosurgery. At the end of the neurosurgical training, he wrote another book in the field of Spinal Surgery called Lumbosacral Discopathies.
When he completed the Neurosurgical course in 2001, the people of Belize found him and took him to that country as they needed Neurosurgical Services which they had never had the privilege of enjoying locally. He performed simple and complex surgeries on many people including the elite of Belize with no surgical mortality in his 5 consecutive years of practice. In the USA, under Dr. Robert Grossman, a well-known neurosurgeon, he worked as a Clinical Research Specialist where he was invited by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons of America to present six papers in their international conferences.
He is Belizean and American citizen by naturalization. After 28 years, he has decided to come back to Africa to help his people as he has come to the convincing realization that he is more needed here than in the United States of America.
He was in Cuba for 17 years, right from the junior high school to the medical school and subsequently to the postgraduate specialist course of Neurosurgery. While in Cuba as a student, he continued the brilliant academic work; he won many awards including best student in Chemistry at the Cuban National Level Quizzes for 3 consecutive years where students from 35 countries then studied. He wrote an Organic Chemistry book which was meant for the preparation of the high performance students who aspired to participate in the World Olympiad of Chemistry. He was summa cum laude (first) in all the levels of education including the medical school and the Specialty of Neurosurgery. At the end of the neurosurgical training, he wrote another book in the field of Spinal Surgery called Lumbosacral Discopathies.
When he completed the Neurosurgical course in 2001, the people of Belize found him and took him to that country as they needed Neurosurgical Services which they had never had the privilege of enjoying locally. He performed simple and complex surgeries on many people including the elite of Belize with no surgical mortality in his 5 consecutive years of practice. In the USA, under Dr. Robert Grossman, a well-known neurosurgeon, he worked as a Clinical Research Specialist where he was invited by the Congress of Neurological Surgeons of America to present six papers in their international conferences.
He is Belizean and American citizen by naturalization. After 28 years, he has decided to come back to Africa to help his people as he has come to the convincing realization that he is more needed here than in the United States of America.
Dr. Emmanuel Voado, MD., is a Ghanaian neurosurgeon trained in Cuba. He was the medical doctor who first opened a neurosurgical service in the country of Belize. He practiced there for 5 years before going to the United States where he resided with his family for 6 years before relocating to Africa in September, 2013.
In Cuba, he was directly involved in the educational system for 17 years and impacted by their health care delivery for 11 years which can all be emulated by third world countries like Ghana who have more natural resources and foreign exchange earners than Cuba. He saw the Cuban government training thousands of students of foreign nations in different courses at the polytechnicand university levels, who then went to their home countries to contribute to their development.
He lived in Belize where he contributed to the healthcare delivery in that nation. Once in the USA, he was personally impacted by all the good things of the American system. One area is the safetynetwork to cater for the destitute.
He saw the compassionate character of the Americans in the hospitals and churches which were the two environments he worked and worshiped and he saw how the two organizations will selflessly use their vacation days to go about doing good to the impoverished nations giving out their substance and technical knowhow.
He was deeply touched by this spirit of selflessness and all this helped to shape his world view in the subconscious level till he came to the conscious realization that a meaningful life is not being rich, being popular, being highly educated or being prefect...It is about being real, being humble, being able to share ourselves and touch the lives of others. It is only then that we could have a full, happy and contented life. That is the motive why, by divine grace, he had been able to abandon the lucrative and most rewarding jobs in the Diaspora and now back home to give back to his people.
In Cuba, he was directly involved in the educational system for 17 years and impacted by their health care delivery for 11 years which can all be emulated by third world countries like Ghana who have more natural resources and foreign exchange earners than Cuba. He saw the Cuban government training thousands of students of foreign nations in different courses at the polytechnicand university levels, who then went to their home countries to contribute to their development.
He lived in Belize where he contributed to the healthcare delivery in that nation. Once in the USA, he was personally impacted by all the good things of the American system. One area is the safetynetwork to cater for the destitute.
He saw the compassionate character of the Americans in the hospitals and churches which were the two environments he worked and worshiped and he saw how the two organizations will selflessly use their vacation days to go about doing good to the impoverished nations giving out their substance and technical knowhow.
He was deeply touched by this spirit of selflessness and all this helped to shape his world view in the subconscious level till he came to the conscious realization that a meaningful life is not being rich, being popular, being highly educated or being prefect...It is about being real, being humble, being able to share ourselves and touch the lives of others. It is only then that we could have a full, happy and contented life. That is the motive why, by divine grace, he had been able to abandon the lucrative and most rewarding jobs in the Diaspora and now back home to give back to his people.
The concept elderly refers to a category of adults who have attained advanced ages, 60 or 65 years. The United Nations uses 60 years to refer to the elderly. In the developed countries where life expectancy is high and the age of retirement from active public economic activity is 65 years, the elderly are defined as persons aged 65 years and above. In developing countries on the other hand, since life expectancy is lower and the age of retirement is 60 years, the elderly are considered as persons aged 60 years and above.
Both the absolute and relative numbers of the elderly population in Africa have been increasing consistently over the years. As a result, aging represents the most significant population shift in history as people are now living longer than ever before. While this is an accomplishment worthy of celebration, our joy is tempered by the awareness that many older adults in Africa are facing a future of neglect and abuse without a social safety net.
Africa has long been considered a society that revered its older citizens and the tradition of reverence has been an integral part of its value system. In most traditional African societies older persons were highly respected and honoured. However, the ideals of a society and the realities of daily life may be quite different. As a result of a changing social and economic environment, older adults are not always given the respect and reverence that tradition dictates in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, as evidenced by elder abuse, neglect and inadequate housing conditions.
One of the most important attributes of the traditional extended family is its potential for caring for the older population. Despite their acknowledged social and economic contributions, as well as their role in traditional and cultural affairs, many older adults in Africa experience abuse and are largely excluded in socio-economic and political affairs. The processes of modernisation and urbanisation are beginning to erode the traditional social welfare system of Africa, the extended family. The abuse and violence against older persons and their vulnerability to financial exploitation is a key challenge faced by many African countries.
The overwhelming majority of elderly persons in Africa, especially older women, have no formal education that would have secured them employment in the competitive job market, and would guarantee them social protection in old age. Consequently, subsequent education and employment of this sector of the population can play a pivotal role in furnishing social security and ameliorating elder abuse in the coming years.
In fact, because of the lack of a universal social security system in Africa, the welfare and support of older persons Africa has long been considered a society that revered its older citizens and the tradition of reverence has been an integral part of its value system.
Both the absolute and relative numbers of the elderly population in Africa have been increasing consistently over the years. As a result, aging represents the most significant population shift in history as people are now living longer than ever before. While this is an accomplishment worthy of celebration, our joy is tempered by the awareness that many older adults in Africa are facing a future of neglect and abuse without a social safety net.
Africa has long been considered a society that revered its older citizens and the tradition of reverence has been an integral part of its value system. In most traditional African societies older persons were highly respected and honoured. However, the ideals of a society and the realities of daily life may be quite different. As a result of a changing social and economic environment, older adults are not always given the respect and reverence that tradition dictates in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, as evidenced by elder abuse, neglect and inadequate housing conditions.
One of the most important attributes of the traditional extended family is its potential for caring for the older population. Despite their acknowledged social and economic contributions, as well as their role in traditional and cultural affairs, many older adults in Africa experience abuse and are largely excluded in socio-economic and political affairs. The processes of modernisation and urbanisation are beginning to erode the traditional social welfare system of Africa, the extended family. The abuse and violence against older persons and their vulnerability to financial exploitation is a key challenge faced by many African countries.
The overwhelming majority of elderly persons in Africa, especially older women, have no formal education that would have secured them employment in the competitive job market, and would guarantee them social protection in old age. Consequently, subsequent education and employment of this sector of the population can play a pivotal role in furnishing social security and ameliorating elder abuse in the coming years.
In fact, because of the lack of a universal social security system in Africa, the welfare and support of older persons Africa has long been considered a society that revered its older citizens and the tradition of reverence has been an integral part of its value system.
In Ghana, issues about the population classified as old gained prominence in the late 1980s when the proportion of the elderly population to the total population began to witness some increases, having grown steadily since 1960. Thus, even though Ghana’s population remains largely youthful, consisting of a large proportion of children under 15 years of age (reported at 44.5% in 1960; 46.9% in 1970; 45% in 1984; 41.3% in 2000 and 38.3% in 2010), the size of the elderly population has been growing.
The 2010 Population and Housing Census showed that although the proportion of older persons (60+ years) decreased from 7.2 percent in 2000 to 6.7 percent in 2010, in terms of absolute numbers there was an increase from 215,258 in 1960 to 1,643,978 in 2010: 918,378 (55.9%) were female and 725,003 (44.1%) were male. For the population 65+, the trend shows that it has increased from 3.2% in 1960 to 3.6% in 1970, 4.0% in 1984, and 5.3% in 2000 and declined to 4.7% in 2010.
Life expectancy at birth is reported to have increased from an estimated 45.5 years in 1960 to 48.6 and 52.7 years respectively in 1970 and 1984 (representing an increase of 4.1 years over a period of 14 years between 1970 and 1984). A Ghana Health Service report in 2003 indicated that life expectancy at birth in Ghana was 58 years which, according to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, increased to 60 years in 2009.
In 2010, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reports that life expectancy increased to 60.7 years for males and 61.8 for females. Most elderly persons in Ghana live in rural areas but today, a little more than half (50.9%) of Ghana’s population live in urban areas. The 2010 PHC indicated that 890,488 (54.1%) of older persons in Ghana, live in rural communities.
With regard to the age cohort of the elderly population, those aged between 60 and 74 years constitute the largest proportion. All these developments have implications for the health and economic status of the elderly population and by extension, the whole population.
The 2010 Population and Housing Census showed that although the proportion of older persons (60+ years) decreased from 7.2 percent in 2000 to 6.7 percent in 2010, in terms of absolute numbers there was an increase from 215,258 in 1960 to 1,643,978 in 2010: 918,378 (55.9%) were female and 725,003 (44.1%) were male. For the population 65+, the trend shows that it has increased from 3.2% in 1960 to 3.6% in 1970, 4.0% in 1984, and 5.3% in 2000 and declined to 4.7% in 2010.
Life expectancy at birth is reported to have increased from an estimated 45.5 years in 1960 to 48.6 and 52.7 years respectively in 1970 and 1984 (representing an increase of 4.1 years over a period of 14 years between 1970 and 1984). A Ghana Health Service report in 2003 indicated that life expectancy at birth in Ghana was 58 years which, according to the Ministry of Employment and Social Welfare, increased to 60 years in 2009.
In 2010, the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reports that life expectancy increased to 60.7 years for males and 61.8 for females. Most elderly persons in Ghana live in rural areas but today, a little more than half (50.9%) of Ghana’s population live in urban areas. The 2010 PHC indicated that 890,488 (54.1%) of older persons in Ghana, live in rural communities.
With regard to the age cohort of the elderly population, those aged between 60 and 74 years constitute the largest proportion. All these developments have implications for the health and economic status of the elderly population and by extension, the whole population.
Old age is expected to be the golden period of one’s life characterised by tranquillity, enjoyment and satisfaction. The reality, however, is a disappointing shattered dream. Old age in many African countries is a nightmare and a tale of woes. Although, there are legislative instruments that guarantee the rights of all persons including the older population in some parts of Africa, elder abuse is rampant because older persons are poor and voiceless. They lack basic healthcare, shelter and dignity.
There was/is a belief that “old women, particularly the poor and ugly, are witches”. This highlights the negative attitudes and psychological trauma elderly persons have to contend with in a traditional African setting. The abuse and neglect of the elderly is common in residential homes, hospitals, within families, in communities and in pension paying queues and government offices. Due largely to lack of access to or control over resources, elderly persons are socially isolated. Social integration is a function of money availability for food, transport, lodging and entertainment.
Sometimes, family conflict and violence are triggered by disagreements over financial matters and control over resources such as land. The elderly family members are usually caught-up in such feuds especially over succession issues. In Ghana, more than 2,500 women, including the elderly, suffered various forms of abuse between January and September, 2004 alone of this number, 837 were sexually assaulted, 130 were abducted, and 1,358 were battered.
The older population had inadequate access to health services and used medication infrequently. Additionally, they found that the elderly persons’ health and functional abilities deteriorated with age, while they had declining resources with age and received little help from the social welfare department.
The main needs of the elderly that require public attention are health, nutritional status, living arrangements and conditions as well as better access to amenities. The provision of these needs, and adequately, are the challenges of the demographic shift. Re-integrating the elderly back into the wider economic and social lives of Ghana, thereby preventing economic and social exclusion will however yield dividend to themselves, their families and their society.
Sub-Saharan African countries have not made enough economic progress before population ageing sets in. Moreover, they have to invest in their young populations- especially in the areas of health, education and other components of the social sector. But preparing for a secure ageing begins from childhood and early adulthood. Furthermore, knowing the situation of the elderly can contribute to the adoption of programmes and other forms of intervention that can ensure that the aged in Ghanaian society enjoy a life of security and dignity.
There was/is a belief that “old women, particularly the poor and ugly, are witches”. This highlights the negative attitudes and psychological trauma elderly persons have to contend with in a traditional African setting. The abuse and neglect of the elderly is common in residential homes, hospitals, within families, in communities and in pension paying queues and government offices. Due largely to lack of access to or control over resources, elderly persons are socially isolated. Social integration is a function of money availability for food, transport, lodging and entertainment.
Sometimes, family conflict and violence are triggered by disagreements over financial matters and control over resources such as land. The elderly family members are usually caught-up in such feuds especially over succession issues. In Ghana, more than 2,500 women, including the elderly, suffered various forms of abuse between January and September, 2004 alone of this number, 837 were sexually assaulted, 130 were abducted, and 1,358 were battered.
The older population had inadequate access to health services and used medication infrequently. Additionally, they found that the elderly persons’ health and functional abilities deteriorated with age, while they had declining resources with age and received little help from the social welfare department.
The main needs of the elderly that require public attention are health, nutritional status, living arrangements and conditions as well as better access to amenities. The provision of these needs, and adequately, are the challenges of the demographic shift. Re-integrating the elderly back into the wider economic and social lives of Ghana, thereby preventing economic and social exclusion will however yield dividend to themselves, their families and their society.
Sub-Saharan African countries have not made enough economic progress before population ageing sets in. Moreover, they have to invest in their young populations- especially in the areas of health, education and other components of the social sector. But preparing for a secure ageing begins from childhood and early adulthood. Furthermore, knowing the situation of the elderly can contribute to the adoption of programmes and other forms of intervention that can ensure that the aged in Ghanaian society enjoy a life of security and dignity.
The inspiration came from the fact that the elderly of our society are not always treated with the care, dignity and the utmost respect they deserve and require during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves.
Despite the above problems and related trends there is therefore, the need for an institution that will serve:
• to assure our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves.
• to support those in need of long-term care “to maintain dignity and an independent daily life routine according to each person’s own level of abilities”.
• to support the elderly and enable them continue to participate and contribute to the economy of Ghana and ultimately to the development of the country while continuing to live in dignity until their call to eternity.
• to assist functionally impaired elderly persons to live dignified and reasonably independent lives.
Despite the above problems and related trends there is therefore, the need for an institution that will serve:
• to assure our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves.
• to support those in need of long-term care “to maintain dignity and an independent daily life routine according to each person’s own level of abilities”.
• to support the elderly and enable them continue to participate and contribute to the economy of Ghana and ultimately to the development of the country while continuing to live in dignity until their call to eternity.
• to assist functionally impaired elderly persons to live dignified and reasonably independent lives.
We will be widely known and highly regarded for our comprehensive and individualised treatment. Quality care will characterise each service provided by our deeply committed staff. Whether helping new residents to comfortably adjust to nursing home life, administering medical treatments or performing clinical assessments, we shall always be mindful of residents' welfare.
Clinical Services: In our commitment to excellence, we shall employ a full-time medical director, other full-time and part-time physicians and full-time geriatric physician assistants to address the medical needs of each resident. Our physicians shall be top-flight professionals and include a full complement of specialists from fields including oncology, cardiology, neurology, ophthalmology, gastroenterology, pulmonology, gynaecology and rheumatology, as well as orthopaedics and physical therapy and rehabilitation. We will be affiliated with Cosmopolitan Miracle Hospitals to afford our residents with superior short- and long-term physical, occupational, speech and hearing therapy.
Short-term and Long-term Rehabilitation: Recovering from a stroke or fracture, or major illness, an individual will need a specialised type of short-term care focused on the restoration of function, often combining physical, occupational and speech therapies. Long-term rehabilitation is for residents who may have a functional impairment, chronic disease or dementia. A combination of therapies is prescribed to maintain their current level of function, raise their level of comfort, and prevent further deterioration of their condition.
Physical and Occupational Therapy: Physical therapy is a "hands-on" process. Much of the success we will achieve shall come because our specialists will work one-on-one to bring out each resident's best capability. Our full-time physical therapy staff helps residents regain and maintain maximum functioning.
Their goals are to:
• Increase, restore or maintain range of motion, physical strength, flexibility, coordination, balanceand endurance.
• Promote independence with walking skills.
• Increase overall fitness through exercise programmes.
• Improve sensation, reduce pain and discomfort.
Resident Social Life and Personal Care: Activities will provide a myriad of opportunities for residents to learn, grow, express themselves and have fun. Residents will participate in programmes that stimulate intellect, help rebuild strength and raise the spirit.
Programmes will include arts & crafts (including a resident crafts show, popular with residents and staff alike), a cooking club, weekly concerts, a current events group and trips to local destinations like museums, local restaurants, football games, cinema and shopping. Residents will also participate in various clubs where experts teach novices the basics of needlework and painting.
On any given day, one will be able to find Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly residents reading the Ghana News Papers or enjoying books in our library. A unisex salon will provide hair styling and other cosmetic needs at modest cost. Religious services shall be held each week on the premises.
Social Work and Advocacy: Social workers at Cosmopolitan Home for the Elderly will help residents adjust to living in a group setting. Full-time social workers and an admissions director will maintain an ongoing relationship with residents and their families, offering counselling, guidance, support and help with problems and concerns. Social workers shall be part of an interdisciplinary team that ensures residents' rights and needs are addressed on all levels.
Accra, the capital of Ghana, is furthermore the anchor of a larger metropolitan area, the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), which is home to about 4 million people, making it the largest metropolitan conglomeration in Ghana by population, and the eleventh-largest metropolitan area in Africa.
The headquarters of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation will be located in Bundase in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. This is going to be the site for the new international airport which will become the center of West Africa to the world in the travel and pleasure industry. Apart from this huge international airport, there will be an Airport City with skyscrapers of the Dubai style, the seat of the government and all the ministries, an Olympic Stadium among other infrastructures.
We are acquiring 25, 000 acres of land extending from the Volta River to an area behind the new International Airport in Bundase, to build The Kingdom City which will englobe all the structures of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation. As coalition builders, in the effort of making our projects become auto-sustainable in the future, we will work co-operatively with all individuals and groups, for profit and not for profit corporations and organisations, with government agencies and international bodies committed to the fight to extend help to the needy, subject only to the policies and priorities set by our governing bodies.
The headquarters of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation will be located in Bundase in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. This is going to be the site for the new international airport which will become the center of West Africa to the world in the travel and pleasure industry. Apart from this huge international airport, there will be an Airport City with skyscrapers of the Dubai style, the seat of the government and all the ministries, an Olympic Stadium among other infrastructures.
We are acquiring 25, 000 acres of land extending from the Volta River to an area behind the new International Airport in Bundase, to build The Kingdom City which will englobe all the structures of the Cosmopolitan Aid Foundation. As coalition builders, in the effort of making our projects become auto-sustainable in the future, we will work co-operatively with all individuals and groups, for profit and not for profit corporations and organisations, with government agencies and international bodies committed to the fight to extend help to the needy, subject only to the policies and priorities set by our governing bodies.
1. People who are chronically ill or disabled with a need for long-term care necessitating a comprehensive range of medical, personal, and social services coordinated to meet their physical, social, and emotional needs. A nursing home facility may be the best choice for people who require 24-hour medical care and supervision.
2. It will be a place of residence for people who require continual nursing care and have significant difficulty coping with the required activities of daily living.
3. Patients with Alzheimer and related disorders
4. Older persons branded as witches and abused and who are ill and do not have any other place to be.
2. It will be a place of residence for people who require continual nursing care and have significant difficulty coping with the required activities of daily living.
3. Patients with Alzheimer and related disorders
4. Older persons branded as witches and abused and who are ill and do not have any other place to be.
We are grounded on the values of Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect and Excellence (I CARE) principle.
We believe in equality for all, rights and dignity for all, stewardship and respects for institutional partnership in development: We welcome and respect ongoing international initiatives and national policies to take care and give support to elderly, vulnerable children and disadvantaged people, students, fight poverty, ignorance and diseases such as Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer, Malaria, Immunisable diseases and AIDS. Our activities will be in union and collaboration with other stakeholders.
With your collaboration we both meet the following expectations:
• We will ensure that our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves.
• Providing a voice platform for action on the concerns of the elderly, social justice, poverty reduction through self-help initiatives to achieve sustainable development practices and influence policy and practice to end social exclusion and poverty.
• We will strive to eliminate barriers to full social integration and increase employment, economic security, and health care for the elderly.
• We will expand happiness to the elderly, freeing them of basic needs and controlling their diseases.
• We are grounded in the various United Nations human right declarations and commitments to promote the effective and full implementation of what United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) spearheaded in 2012.
It was the celebration of the day of the elderly, on October 1, in partnership with Help Age and with the aim of raising awareness about ageing, with a publication under theme: Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge 2012. The report that was launched in Tokyo, Japan was followed by a global day of outreach and activism through media activity. Another component of these activities include a campaign dabbed “Age Demands Action”. The main message in the celebration activities is an emphasis on the fact that “population ageing is one of the most significant trends in the 21st Century”.
We believe in equality for all, rights and dignity for all, stewardship and respects for institutional partnership in development: We welcome and respect ongoing international initiatives and national policies to take care and give support to elderly, vulnerable children and disadvantaged people, students, fight poverty, ignorance and diseases such as Diabetes, Hypertension, Cancer, Malaria, Immunisable diseases and AIDS. Our activities will be in union and collaboration with other stakeholders.
With your collaboration we both meet the following expectations:
• We will ensure that our elders are treated with care, dignity and the utmost respect during their final years when they can no longer take care of themselves.
• Providing a voice platform for action on the concerns of the elderly, social justice, poverty reduction through self-help initiatives to achieve sustainable development practices and influence policy and practice to end social exclusion and poverty.
• We will strive to eliminate barriers to full social integration and increase employment, economic security, and health care for the elderly.
• We will expand happiness to the elderly, freeing them of basic needs and controlling their diseases.
• We are grounded in the various United Nations human right declarations and commitments to promote the effective and full implementation of what United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) spearheaded in 2012.
It was the celebration of the day of the elderly, on October 1, in partnership with Help Age and with the aim of raising awareness about ageing, with a publication under theme: Ageing in the Twenty-First Century: A Celebration and A Challenge 2012. The report that was launched in Tokyo, Japan was followed by a global day of outreach and activism through media activity. Another component of these activities include a campaign dabbed “Age Demands Action”. The main message in the celebration activities is an emphasis on the fact that “population ageing is one of the most significant trends in the 21st Century”.
Our own contribution has been in this project but we acknowledge that we cannot do this alone, so we are calling on donors of every nation to help build this project to affect millions of lives inside and outside Ghana.