Page 643 - FDF PR REPORT - JUNE 2025 (ARABIC)

6/4/25, 10:24 AM FDF launches ‘Safe Home Preparation Guide’ for senior citizens
His Excellency Ali Salem Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of FDF, said: “Our wise leadership,
led by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi,
provided constant support to senior citizens and residents, which is a source of pride. It reflects an exceptional
humanitarian vision that places individuals at the centre of planning and care. They have received
comprehensive attention through integrated programs that ensure a dignified life, enhance their community
participation, and acknowledge their role and efforts with appreciation and respect.”

His Excellency stated that FDF consistently follows the directives of Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint
Mubarak, ‘Mother of the Nation,’ who emphasises the significance of caring for senior citizens and residents,
ensuring their well-being, and reinforcing their role in society as a foundation of family and social
cohesion. H.E. noted that under the guidance of Her Highness, FDF is dedicated to launching and implementing
impactful initiatives and projects aimed at improving the quality of life for this segment of society, empowering
them, and ensuring their active participation in sustainable development, in line with the UAE’s overall
humanitarian vision.

Comprehensive Strategy

Her Excellency Mariam Mohammed Al Rumaithi, Director General of FDF, highlighted that the country’s
priority on senior citizens is not a coincidence, but it is a key aspect of an integrated strategic goal envisioned by
the wise leadership and strongly supported by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak, ‘Mother of the
Nation’. Her Highness specially focusses on this group, considering them as a significant part of the social
fabric. H.E. Al Rumaithi further emphasised Her Highness’s continued commitment to offer consistent comfort
and support for senior citizens through a range of programs and initiatives that ensure a dignified, stable, and
fulfilling life that meet their health and social needs.

H.E. Al Rumaithi stated that senior citizens are both a blessing and a source of security for our country, and that
attending to their needs for comfort is the least that can be done to honour their years of contributions. We seek
to ensure their comfort and stability while adhering to the highest safety and health regulations. H.E. Al
Rumaithi further emphasised FDF’s efforts to create safe homes for senior citizens by making requisite
modifications to ensure sustainable safety that is customised to their health conditions and circumstances.

H.E. Al Rumaithi also emphasised the significance of the FDF’s initiative, highlighting that it involves house
modifications that assist senior citizens’ mobility, while also ensuring social engagement and integration. These
modifications include the installation of access ramps, inclusion of handrails in key locations, and the use of
nonslip flooring in outdoor spaces. H.E. further emphasised the need of widening doorways, improving lighting,
and adding a canopy or awning at the entry of homes to provide weather protection, while maintaining full
compliance with safety standards.

H.E. Al Rumaithi said: “Care for seniors is a basic humanitarian and national value that represents social
cohesiveness and improves quality of life. It encourages the use of FDF’s community initiatives and programs to
ensure a dignified and safe life for this vital segment of the society, as well as protect their position and promote
their psychological and social health.”

Motion Sensors and Assistive Tech

Her Excellency Wafa Mohammed Al Ali, Director of the Family Development Department at FDF, stated
that technology is no more a luxury, but rather a means to convey our love and care for the comfort of senior
citizens. H.E. stated that simple innovations can make a significant difference in creating a safer and more
independent home environment for senior citizens. These technologies include motion sensors that automatically
illuminate hallways at night, fall or emergency alarm systems, indoor surveillance cameras that reassure family
members remotely, smart medication organisers that remind them of their medication schedules and voice
assistants that allow for easy lighting control or assistance requests.

H.E. Al Ali emphasised the need of providing a safe home environment for senior citizens, starting with simple
yet important details. H.E. highlighted the importance of sufficient lighting in corridors and bathrooms to reduce

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