Women Religious Orders in Kenya Urged to Keep “good records” of New Members to Manage Old Age Health Complications

In his address during the October 11 event, Mr. Ndung’u encouraged female ICLSAL to develop a platform that identifies and maps their respective members, “to try to have a good history of where they come from and their family trees.”

“Let’s try to have a good record in situations where one comes from a family that has cases of diabetes, dementia, and other medical issues that run in families,” he said.

The financial strategist however cautioned against unlawful use of data obtained from individual women Religious, saying, “Let’s operate within the data protection act and not engage in activities that are against the law. Let us make sure that the information provided does not go out for other uses.”

The five-year strategic plan is a result of numerous meetings that CASAK leadership held with Prestige Management Solutions. It is a successor of the one year (2023-2024) strategic plan that was done when CASAK was established.

Credit: Communication Network for Catholic Sisters-CNCS KENYA

The plan has been prepared based on the mission and vision of CASAK, which is to provide holistic care for the elderly and the infirm.

In his address on October 11, Mr. Ndung’u noted that the goal of the strategic plan is “to try as much as possible not to have the infirm, but to have Sisters who are aging peacefully.”

The plan outlines a set of objectives aimed at ensuring that aging Sisters live in dignity. They include the improvement of infrastructure in ICLSAL to ensure that the Sisters live in “habitable” environments.

On affordability of putting up age-friendly structures in ICLSAL, Mr. Ndung’u advised, “Congregations may not embark on constructing new structures immediately. They can start by improving what they have so as to provide care for their members.”

The Kenyan financial advisor also proposed the provision of specialized vehicles for the elderly to ease their movement.

The plan was also designed to ensure that Sisters lead healthy lifestyles to minimize complications that come with old age.

Credit: Communication Network for Catholic Sisters-CNCS KENYA

Emphasizing the need for sustainability, Mr. Ndung’u advised CASAK and its member ICLSAL to strive to enhance, diversify, and manage the financial and resources they have prudently.

He urged ICLSAL to specifically come up with initiatives that can attract funding, and to utilize the revenue they have with “utmost prudence”.

Kenya-based ICLSAL were therefore advised to identify initiatives that can be utilized for the purposes of reducing costs. Mr. Ndung’u gave examples of solar panels for the purpose of reducing the cost of energy, biogas for reducing the cost of the kitchen, as well as kitchen gardens for reducing the cost of purchases from the markets.

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Women Religious were also urged to train their staff on innovative ways to cut on the purchases in their communities.

They were advised to use greenhouses, and to engage in farming to produce a bulk of what they eat. While at it, they were urged to ensure that elderly Sisters among them are fed in a proper manner.

Mr. Ndung’u insisted on healthy eating habits in Religious communities to keep health complications that sometimes manifest in old age at bay.

“Individual Congregations should strive for healthier organic dietary plans by trying as much as possible to limit the food they purchase,” he said, and added, “Owing to many reported cases of counterfeits, Sisters communities can grow their own food organically and rear their own animals for eggs, milk and meat.”

The financial consultant said CASAK should be a role model to the community in promoting food security in the East African country and that kitchen gardens are one way of doing this.

He went on to ask CASAK to help Sisters’ Congregations to understand issues of climate change so that in their communities, they may implement climate change and mitigation programs to build resistance for the elderly and vulnerable communities.

Credit: Communication Network for Catholic Sisters-CNCS KENYA

“There are instances when it is either abnormally hot or abnormally cold, making it very difficult for the elderly Sisters who have to stay in such places with extreme weather patterns,” he said.

Mr. Ndung’u recommended a thorough education of members of ICLSAL to help them understand the details of the strategic plan.

Individual ICLSAL are expected to submit to CASAK reports of their progress after which the strategic plan will be reviewed.

The Managing Director of Prestige Management Solutions challenged CASAK and its members to take a leadership role in the care for the elderly not just in the Catholic Church but also in the rest of the society.