Article 1 of the Saudi Elderly Rights and Care Law

This is the definitions article. It fixes the meaning of the terms that recur in the Law, so that every later provision is read in their light. The most notable are:

• Elderly person: any citizen aged 60 or over. The definition requires two things: nationality and age.
• Rights of the elderly person: all the rights they have under Sharia or the laws, including their financial, physical, social and moral rights.
• Care of a needy elderly person: providing their essential needs of housing, food, clothing, and health, physical, psychological, social and recreational care.
• The caregiver (al-ʿaʾil): the person who cares for the needy elderly person and safeguards their rights.
• Social care home for the elderly: any government body, or private or non-profit body licensed by the Ministry, that houses and cares for the elderly person and provides the services they need.
• The family: includes the father, the husband or wife, and the male children, grandchildren and brothers.
• Relevant bodies: every government, private or non-profit body that provides services to the elderly directly or indirectly.
• Public services: every service provided by the government body itself or through others.

The article also provides that "the Ministry" is the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, "the Minister" is its minister, and "the Regulations" are the Implementing Regulations of the Law. From these definitions Article 2 proceeds, which sets out what the Ministry works to achieve in coordination with the relevant bodies. Anyone who needs to know whether these definitions apply to their situation should consult a lawyer specializing in personal status cases and the rights of the elderly.