Stakeholders Validate Redemptorist Elder Care Model
Stakeholders, researchers, government representatives, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and population ageing experts came together virtually on June 23, 2026, to validate a Learning Paper on Redemptorist Elder Care and Advocacy Programmes in Kenya and Kerala, India. The workshop reviewed key findings and endorsed an integrated holistic model for elder care and advocacy, developed through collaborative learning of the Ethel Foundation for the Aged (EFA) in Kenya, the Alwaye Alphonsian Society (AAS) in Kerala, India, the Redemptorist Solidarity Office (RSO), Older Persons, Government Agencies, Older Persons’ Organizations (OPOs), and Development Partners.
The Learning Activity, and the resulting Learning Paper and validation online seminar, were commissioned by the Redemptorist Solidarity Office (RSO), administrator of the Misean Cara Multi-year Grant (MMG), whose funding support to the EFA and AAS programmes in Kenya and Kerala made this collaborative learning process possible.
Opening the session, Rev. Fr. Gerard O’Connor of RSO reflected on the growing challenges facing older persons globally, drawing on his own experience caring for elderly family members, and called for compassionate pastoral care paired with practical interventions that protect dignity and quality of life.
Promoting the exchange of knowledge between the programs 
During a focus group with elderly participants in the EFA programs in Nairobi 
A meeting with the assistants in Naivasha 
Goats for families in need 
Remarks by Mr. Tom the EFA community Liason 
Group photo after community discussions in Kisumu, Katolo Village
Presentations underscored the scale of the demographic shift ahead: the global population aged 60 and above is projected to reach 2.1 billion by 2050. Participants discussed economic insecurity, loneliness, social isolation, elder abuse, and gaps in legal and social protection frameworks, while tracing how both the Ethel Foundation and the Alwaye Alphonsian Society grew out of direct encounters with vulnerable older people. It is these encounters that shaped a distinct Redemptorist response anchored in dignity, wisdom, and potential rather than decline, of older people.
Loneliness emerged as one of the most pervasive yet least addressed vulnerabilities. The Learning Paper also pointed to the strength of integrated community-based care, livelihood initiatives, faith-rooted but inclusive service delivery, and community caregivers, who participants noted, remain the first line of support despite limited training, recognition, and resources.
A presentation by Sister Ann on the history and rationale behind the SLOPAK program 
Sessions on case studies 
Presentation of the AAS model to the E Foundation team 
A beneficiary of a chicken-raising project explains to Sister Ann how she managed to increase the number of her chickens. 
Meeting with representatives of the county and the national governances 
Group photo with the assistants in Naivasha 
During a focus group discussion (FGD) with elderly beneficiaries of EFA programs in Nairobi
A central highlight was the validation of a proposed Elder Care and Advocacy Model whose pillars are Rights and Advocacy; Integrated Community and Person-Centred Care; Psychosocial Well-being and Spiritual Care; and Economic Empowerment and Active Ageing. These core pillars are underpinned by four cross-cutting enablers: Partnership, Systems Strengthening, Evidence Generation, and Sustainability.
Participants also highlighted innovative practices from both contexts, including community rights advocacy structures and Kerala’s community-based palliative care approach, and called for stronger caregiver support, closer alignment with regional and global ageing frameworks, and sustainable financing for elder care.
The validated model now provides a practical foundation for collaboration among Redemptorist ministries, government institutions, civil society, and communities working to advance the dignity and well-being of older people.
About the Programme
The Redemptorist Elder Care and Advocacy Programme is a collaborative initiative of the Ethel Foundation (Kenya), the Alwaye Alphonsian Society (India), and Redemptorist partners, promoting dignified ageing through integrated care, advocacy, psychosocial support, economic empowerment, and community participation.
Acknowledgement
This Learning Activity, the Learning Paper, and the validation webinar were made possible through the generous financial support of Misean Cara, administered through the Redemptorist Solidarity Office (RSO) under the Misean Cara Multi-year Grant (MMG).
Felistas Ndonye, Eithel Foundation Project Officer
Michael Waweru, Eithel Foundation Programme Manager
