Our Minister of Family and Social Services Derya Yanık said, “At the present time, we offer a service above world standards in our nursing homes. We organize single and double rooms for older persons in our institutions, and we try to improve the physical conditions as much as possible.”

Minister Derya Yanık visited Governor Süleyman Elban as part of her visit in Adana. Yanık, who signed the governor's honor book, later visited the Adana Üreten Kadın Kooperatifleri Birliği (Women Cooperatives). Here, Yanık received information about their work from the President of the Union, Zeynep Kırmış, and chatted with the women who are members of the cooperative, where she viewed the handicraft products.

Later, Yanık visited Yedipınar Day Care, Rehabilitation and Family Counseling Centre and received information about the activities there.

Afterwards, Minister Yanık, who attended the opening ceremony of Şehit Kara Pilot Yüzbaşı Serhat Sığnak Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Centre, wished God's mercy on all martyrs, especially martyr Sığnak.

Yanık reminded that the centre bears the name of Serhat Sığnak, one of the 13 brave men who sacrificed their lives in 2017 in Şırnak to protect the lands of the homeland.

Indicating that Türkiye has been fighting the treacherous terrorist organization for nearly 40 years, Yanık said that this organization not only targets military officers but mostly civilians and heads there.

Emphasizing that a heavy price has been paid for the entire region and the country, and is still being paid, Yanık said that the valiant sons of the Taurus Mountains, Çukurova and 84 million people overcame and continue to overcome them.

Yanık, giving information about the work they do as the Ministry, said that they are trying to extend the compassionate hand of the state to them by communicating with the disadvantaged groups of the society.

Drawing attention to the rapid ageing of the world population, Yanık continued her words as follows:

“Unfortunately, we have the same ageing rate as the world population, 9.8 percent of the world's population and 9.7 percent of our country are individuals aged 65 and over. In other words, approximately one out of every 10 people in Türkiye is over the age of 65. The ageing process in our country continues to progress in the same direction as the demographic process in the world and much faster. We serve an elderly population of more than 8 million. In 60 years, one out of every four people in our country is expected to be 65 years or older. This shows us that the number of people who need service in this field will increase as the years go by.”

Yanık stated that they see service to humanity above all ideologies, and that they approach and follow up on raising the living standards of older persons with this understanding.

Indicating that they approach all issues of older persons, including health, education, care, active participation mechanisms in social life, Yanık made the following assessments:

“Our main vision in our policies for older persons that we apply today is to include our older persons in the flow of life and ensure that they have an active and healthy age. Our Ministry, which is the main institution of policy development and service provision for older persons in our country, carries out all our planned and ongoing social work practices through our integrated social work model. Our integrated social service model, which is shaped on the basis of care services quality standards, consists of home health care service, home social care service, day care service, temporary and guest care service, long-term care service, spiritual care service and community-based volunteer work.

"We give a monthly salary of 1536 liras to over 765 thousand older persons"

Minister Yanık stated that they aim to ensure that citizens receive the services they need within the integrity of the system, and that they are trying to support older persons with the services provided in day care centres.

Pointing out that older persons are also supported by social assistance, Yanık said, "Within the scope of the Law No. 2022 on the granting of pensions to the needy, weak and alone Turkish citizens over 65, we give a monthly salary of 1536 liras to over 765 thousand older persons."

Explaining that one of the components in the service model is " institutional residential elderly care centres", Yanık said that services are provided to all older persons with or without social security.

"We provide services above world standards in our nursing homes"

Yanık, noting that the number of nursing homes affiliated to the Ministry was 63 in 2002, said: "Today, as of 2022, the number of nursing homes affiliated to our Ministry is 166. While the total capacity of nursing homes affiliated to our Ministry was 6 thousand 477 in 2002, this number is 17 thousand 349 today. In our long-term institutional care services for older persons, we provide care services to 27 thousand 174 older persons in 450 nursing homes and elderly care centers with a total capacity of 37 thousand 552, including public institutions and private institutions. While providing our care services, we apply low wages with a social state perspective or provide free care service depending on the conditions.”

Minister Yanık said: “Today, we offer a truly world-class service in our nursing homes. We organize single and double rooms for older persons in our institutions, and we try to improve the physical conditions as much as possible. Due to the quality of service, the care service is provided by graduates of higher education institutions. Our elderly care policy is based on ensuring that older persons, who have care needs and housing problems, can spend their old age with a wide range of individual movement without breaking their ties with social life. We set up our rehabilitation and care services in the same way.”

After the speeches, Yanık, AK Party Deputy Chairman Jülide Sarıeroğlu, Governor of Adana Süleyman Elban and Member of Parliament of Adana Abdullah Doğru and other interested parties opened the centre.

Within the scope of her program, Minister Yanık visited the family of Topçu Ensign Bayram Erbaş, who was martyred in 1996, in the Huzurevleri Mahallesi of Çukurova district.

After her visit, Yanık went to the Kiremithane Neighbourhood of Yüreğir District and gave gifts to the children who greeted her by saying "Welcome, Ms. Derya" and had them take a souvenir photo with them.

Minister Yanık also visited the shopkeepers in the neighborhood and chatted.

She met with handball players

Minister Derya Yanık also met with the Adasokağı Sports Club Handball Team, which continues its activities in the Yuregir Serinevler Sports Hall. Yanık, watching the team's show match, chatted with the technical team, the players and their families. Yanık presented sports equipment to the players who presented her with the form on which her name is written. 

Later, Minister Yanık visited the Municipality of Yüreğir and met with Mayor Fatih Mehmet Kocaispir.