Elderly Somalis are becoming lonely and isolated like old white people

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Aduun waa sheeko iyo shaahid. Translated into English, the Somali proverb means that the world is full of stories and makes you a witness.

It’s one of the many lessons 76-year-old Mohamed Jama wants to teach the youth in Edmonton’s Somali-Canadian community.

“If they don’t know where they come from, they don’t know where they’re going,” he said Friday.

Jama, who has lived in Edmonton for 25 years, is participating in a series of initiatives to improve intergenerational communication. The latest program culminated with a book of stories, proverbs and poems, after a collaboration with the Centre for Race and Culture in winter 2016.

But the Somali-Canadian Seniors Project also drew attention to a growing problem in the community.

“Seniors can feel isolated and experience depression,” said Jibril Ibrahim, president of the Somali-Canadian Cultural Society of Edmonton. “Senior centres do a great job for one size fits all, but I think their model needs to be revised.”

Ibrahim estimated there are countless isolated seniors in the city’s 20,000-strong Somali-Canadian community, and seclusion may be more prevalent among women due to traditional roles.

“It creates an isolation for them to stay all day at home and not have any programs.”

jibril-ibrahim-l-president-of-the-somali-canadian-cultura.jpeg

Jibril Ibrahim, left, president of the Somali-Canadian Cultural Society, and Somali-Canadian senior Mohamed Jama, 76, are recommending that senior centres revise their programs to be more inclusive. Ed Kaiser / Postmedia

Ibrahim visited several senior centres to conduct a needs assessment and examine how programs could be more inclusive for aging Somali-Canadians. He noted there are gaps in services relating to culture, religion, diet and language.

“Going to a centre can be intimidating for them if they don’t speak English,” he said. “They may be shy and cannot express themselves.”

Religion can also be limiting, with Muslim seniors needing access to a multi-purpose prayer room in order to pray five times per day. This also factors in to being able to enjoy community dinners, since seniors may observe a halal diet.

“When (centres) become inclusive, it’s not just for Somali seniors,” Ibrahim said. “Imagine having all those seniors from around the world having a coffee, or dinner and sharing their experiences.”

somali-senior-mohamed-jama-76-talks-about-isolation-issues.jpeg

Somali senior Mohamed Jama, 76, talks on Friday, Feb. 10, 2017, about isolation issues facing Somali seniors feeling separated from their culture.Ed Kaiser / 20078670A

Ibrahim is also recommending better transportation options for seniors who don’t drive, and programs that allow for the participation of young children, since many grandparents are regular caretakers.

“It requires centres wearing inclusive lenses, looking into their programs,” he said. “The programs they have are dancing or playing bridge … yes it’s good, but some seniors might want something different.”

For Jama, who has nine children and a large brood of grandchildren, the priority is to find a place for multiple generations to come together and discuss culture, language and history. He believes it’s not only a form of cultural preservation, but also a way to quell criminal behaviour among Somali-Canadian youth. For now that place is at the Somali-Canadian society’s building at 6770 129 Ave.

Ibrahim, who plans to work with city administration on the issue, hopes seniors will eventually integrate into centres across Edmonton.

“If we don’t take care of our seniors, who are we as a people?” he said.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/somali-canadian-association-aims-to-help-isolated-seniors
 
I didn't know Somali people believed in going to senior homes. I think if it was a Somali oriented senior home and had other Somali seniors it wouldn't be quite as terrfiying as my parents seem to think. I wouldn't ever put my parents in a senior home though. I think having cultural centre for seniors would be nice.
 
I didn't know Somali people believed in going to senior homes. I think if it was a Somali oriented senior home and had other Somali seniors it wouldn't be quite as terrfiying as my parents seem to think. I wouldn't ever put my parents in a senior home though. I think having cultural centre for seniors would be nice.

If I even joked about sending my parents to a caring home they would outlive me out of sheer anger :farole:

My parents expect us to take care of them and I volunteered my brother to be the one to do it :siilaanyosmile:
 
NA Somalis:camby:. I've never seen a Somali in a home in the UK.

But I have seen a Somali mother on the street in Camden being disrespected by her adult son including all the other stories I have heard online. Not to mention the many Somali girls who run away and marry ajnabis and disobeying their parents wishes. Hundreds of cases a year.

UK Somalis are more disrespectful to their parents than any other Somali community.
 
You will end up based on the good/bad you did in this life and the choices you made, if you made the lives of others hell, so will yours, if you did a lot of good, you will live an easy life.

This is no different then the promiscuous women that rode the cock carousel for decades then gets into their 30's, single, barren, spinster, debased, not wanted, lonely and buying kittens and cats as company.

This is mostly white women for now but soon you will begin to see a truck loads of Xalimo's going the same route, just like the loneliness happening to the seniors.

I knew a few of them over the years, I remember what kind of ungrateful, horrible cunts they were and in many cases still are.
 
But I have seen a Somali mother on the street in Camden being disrespected by her adult son including all the other stories I have heard online. Not to mention the many Somali girls who run away and marry ajnabis and disobeying their parents wishes. Hundreds of cases a year.

UK Somalis are more disrespectful to their parents than any other Somali community.

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Smh who sends their parents to a senior home?? :drakewtf: I can see why cadaans do it, they don't give two f's about their elders as a culture, but now Somalis too? Bisinka :snoop:
 
You will end up based on the good/bad you did in this life and the choices you made, if you made the lives of others hell, so will yours, if you did a lot of good, you will live an easy life.

This is no different then the promiscuous women that rode the cock carousel for decades then gets into their 30's, single, barren, spinster, debased, not wanted, lonely and buying kittens and cats as company.

This is mostly white women for now but soon you will begin to see a truck loads of Xalimo's going the same route, just like the loneliness happening to the seniors.

I knew a few of them over the years, I remember what kind of ungrateful, horrible cunts they were and in many cases still are.

How about the seniors who did good in life but still became lonely?

Who would have guessed it.


More bad news coming from reer canada.


Canadians are lost.

UKIP said "we need Australians not Somalians entering this country" while Canadian PM wanted a Somali as his minister of a very important ministry

Tell me which is the more valued Somali community.

:chrisfreshhah:
 
How about the seniors who did good in life but still became lonely?



UKIP said "we need Australians not Somalians entering this country" while Canadian PM wanted a Somali as his minister of a very important ministry

Tell me which is the more valued Somali community.

:chrisfreshhah:

UKIP hates poles far more than they hate on Somalis. Whats your point?.

Your PM is also a widely known Cuck. Of course he would appoint a Somali man as head of immigration.

The UK Somali Community also didn't have multiple news documentaries made about it.


Take your L and sit down boy.:kodaksmiley:
 
Somali Canadians: Movers and shakers in the politics of one of the richest countries in the world. Not even in the top 100 largest ethnic groups in the country.

UK Somalis: Bullied by Pakistanis and Nigerians but have been there since the early 1900s as sailors and still in project housing. The Romanians who came to UK less than 5 years ago already have homes and land they bought in the UK. Also much bigger successful businesses

Khasaaro community who have been surpassed even by the Gypsies.

:chrisfreshhah:
 
It's one of the ironies of the digital age. We are becoming more and more isolated despite having more mediums to stay connected and share with each other.:wow1:
 
Somali Canadians: Movers and shakers in the politics of one of the richest countries in the world. Not even in the top 100 largest ethnic groups in the country.

UK Somalis: Bullied by Pakistanis and Nigerians but have been there since the early 1900s as sailors and still in project housing. The Romanians who came to UK in the mid 2000s already have homes and land they bought in the UK. Also much bigger successful businesses

Khasaaro community who have been surpassed even by the Gypsies.

:chrisfreshhah:




Here Lies a typical reer canadian Somali in its natural Habitat.

Movers and shakers of politics, Kulaha :chrisfreshhah::drakelaugh:

Learn your place and keep twerking doug.

:mjlol:
 


Here Lies a typical reer canadian Somali in its natural Habitat.

Movers and shakers of politics, Kulaha :chrisfreshhah::drakelaugh:

Learn your place and keep twerking doug.

:mjlol:

Stay salty :drakelaugh:You know your community's winning when someone is appointed to be the minister of immigration. :salute:There's loads of successful people here in Canada too
 


Here Lies a typical reer canadian Somali in its natural Habitat.

Movers and shakers of politics, Kulaha :chrisfreshhah::drakelaugh:

Learn your place and keep twerking doug.

:mjlol:

Type "Somalian" on Twitter and every Nigerian and Pakistani disses you. One of my favorite disses they have said was "A Somalian throws a TV in the air to get Sky TV".

You'll never hear a politician humilate Somalis in Canada. Only in the UK and they do it on TV.

:drakelaugh:
 
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