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Atta Services Aid to the Aged Brings Hope to Palestine's Senior Citizens
Founder Nora Kort initiated a preliminary study of senior citizen services in 1990. The study, conducted in the West Bank and Gaza, found the situation of the central West Bank region to be the most acute. After the oil boom of the early 1970s, many young people in the central West Bank traveled abroad to work in the Arab Gulf States. Political tensions during the Israeli occupation and first intifada led to an increased exodus of young people. Moreover, Kort explains, families in the central region are not as tied to the larger clan or extended family, particularly in the urban areas, as those in other regions. These factors have led to a substantial decrease in the total number of caregivers for the elderly. Atta Services has sought to respond to what Kort describes as "deplorable" circumstances facing Palestine's elderly. Senior citizens in Palestine have no safety net from the government to rely on for their needs. There is no program equivalent to Social Security or Medicare to help seniors with their basic medical costs, for example. The needs of the elderly are quite costly, particularly in terms of medical care. Meanwhile, fundraising for the elderly is challenging. Very few organizations are involved in grassroots elderly care, and it is an area that receives very little attention from outside donors. The Jerusalem Fund remains dedicated to supporting the efforts of Atta Services and other organizations that provide vital care to Palestine's senior citizen community.
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