Initiative to promote service by, and for, the elderly

The importance of activity among elderly people was yesterday stressed by Parliamentary Secretary Francis Agius when he launched a new initiative, Active Aging, which will promote greater participation by the elderly in society.

Joseph Troisi, who is coordinating the project, said Malta had a wide range of services for the elderly but asked what opportunities there were for elderly people to continue participating in the community. He said this was imperative both for their own development and for the good of the country.

Prof. Troisi said that although there was the University for the Third Age, this was not conducive to elderly people being more active but was turning them into more receivers.

He stressed the importance of doing away with the idea that elderly people are a burden on society. The motto of the initiative, he added, was to have a service from the elderly for the elderly.

Dr Agius said Active Aging wished to enter into partnerships with local councils and the Church to ensure genuine consultation and participation on new initiatives.

It will also recommend a range of programmes and strategies based on the principles of coordination, inclusion, collaboration and flexibility.

He said two areas of key importance were the setting up of day centres and the elderly neighbourhood schemes, while a pilot project on housing schemes will be carried out in Floriana.

Dr Agius also mentioned the introduction of a Grandparents Day, which will focus on the relation between the young and old generations.