Focus

Life does not stop with retirement. With more time on their hands, elderly people are able to stay active well into their 60s and beyond. Cynthia Busuttil looks into how elderly people are becoming more independent and what is helping them live life to the full.

Over 60 but not over the hill

Advances in medicine and a better lifestyle mean people are living longer.

In fact, the number of over 60s has increased over the years and this trend is expected to continue. By 2035, around 30 per cent of the population will be over that magic figure, according to the National Statistics Office.

While 60 seemed old a century ago, nowadays many people are still able to live a very independent life after retiring from work. In fact, many pensioners make the most of their retirement age to spend time with their grandchildren, pursue their interests and enjoy themselves.

However, for people to be able to make the most of their twilight years, they need to start making preparations throughout their lives, parliamentary secretary for the elderly Helen D'Amato said.

"They cannot just decide, when they go out on pension, to become active so that they can be healthier. They need to be active throughout their lives. You cannot expect somebody who has led a sedentary life and never been active, to start being active once he goes out on pension," she said.

Ms D'Amato pointed out that elderly people who are active were most likely to have been like that throughout their lives.

"Many would have spent their lives doing things around the house, been involved in voluntary work or other organisations. Their lifestyle takes them from one stage of life to the next. Obviously, they might have restrictions because of health, but unless they have big problems, their health allows them to remain quite active during the first part of their retirement age," she said.

Asked whether elderly people are becoming more active, the parliamentary secretary said there was no doubt about this. She added that when elderly people remain active, this tends to reflect positively on their health.

"If nothing else, it affects morale. This is evident even among those people who are not feeling very healthy," she said. Ms D'Amato explained that some senior citizens might not feel very good from a health point of view, but would be eager to do things, to make something of their lives.

"We have senior citizens at St Vincent de Paul Residence who are wheelchair bound, some of them amputees, but who do handiwork and fill in their days. They might not be considered as people who are in good health but they still try to make their days count.

"On the other hand, there are some people who are in considerably good health for their age but do not want to do anything, even though if they wanted to, they could be very active."

She explained that some senior citizens living in homes are not interested in participating in activities organised for them.

"You have those who participate in everything and anything that is organised for them. But, these are the ones who have also participated while living at home. Then there are others who sit in their rooms while activities are taking place just outside. Nothing you do motivates them."

Being independent is another important thing for many senior citizens. Although the number of homes for the elderly has increased, many are now preferring to remain in their own home, the place they know best and where they feel most comfortable. They are also more likely to have friends in the town or village where they live and do not want to leave. Ms D'Amato stressed that the government's policy is that, as much as possible, elderly people should continue living in their own homes.

Ms D'Amato admitted that the strength of the family network was diminishing. However, she added that this was being felt mostly at the time when elderly people would become very dependent and would not be able to continue living within the community even with a strong family network backing them.

Moreover, she said, the decrease in stigma surrounding homes for the elderly was leading to more people looking for shelter in their old age.

"Before, the elderly used to feel abandoned by their families when they were sent to a home. But once this mentality started to crumble, people started seeking the services more. Moreover, the government's homes for the elderly are in village cores, which helps the residents still feel as part of the community."

Many times, elderly no longer want to live on their own because they are afraid, especially during the night. Ms D'Amato said that is where the importance of Telecare comes in.

"Telecare should help more senior citizens continue living in their own home. If our elderly really understood the value of Telecare, they would be able to feel safer."

Although around 9,000 households have Telecare, Ms D'Amato said the elderly have not yet experienced the true value of the system.

"If they did, they would not be afraid to stay at home on their own. All it takes is a push of a button and there is someone at the other end of the line available around the clock. He will speak to the caller, ask him what he wants, and if the elderly person does not answer, the operator will send help immediately. But obviously, you cannot leave the pendent in its box, stashed away. This should be worn, so that it is always handy when needed," she said.

The parliamentary secretary stressed that Telecare is quicker in getting help than another person sleeping in another room.

"With someone in another room, you need to shout to get his attention, while with Telecare you just need to push the button. If you do not have the energy to push a button neither would you have the strength to call for somebody."

Giving an example, Ms D'Amato said one elderly man fell and sought help through the Telecare system. When he told the person at the other end of the line that he had fallen, the operator immediately called for an ambulance and also contacted the man's family.

"The ambulance arrived with the family members, which shows how effective and efficient the service can be," she stressed.

To enable more elderly to have the opportunity to continue living at home, the government also offers the Home Care Help Service, which offers non-nursing, personal help and light domestic work to elderly and people with special needs.

"Many treat it as just a maid service, but this is more than that. While the people do help in the housework and other chores, they are also there to speak to the elderly. We have to remember that a number of elderly suffer from solitude," she said.

A home from home

Although the best place for elderly people is their own home, sometimes it is not possible for them to live there, either because their health no longer allows it or because they do not feel secure living on their own.

And yet, sometimes elderly people still want to lead an active lifestyle, even though they do not feel comfortable living in their home.

This feeling among the elderly has brought about the need for a new concept of residential homes for the elderly. Alexander Tranter, chief executive of CareMalta - which operate homes for the elderly - said the company was set up 13 years ago with the intention of ensuring that elderly lead as much as possible an independent and active lifestyle within a purposely designed surrounding, which offers them comfort, security and a relaxed lifestyle, and respects their dignity and privacy.

"We do not dispute that the best place for the elderly is their own home. But we want to give them the next best alternative," he said.

Mr Tranter stressed the importance of providing residences which are actually an extension of an elderly person's own home, and also the importance that the residents feel comfortable.

"We treat the residential rooms as the elderly people's private property, and not as an extension of our premises. In that way, we can respect the elderly people's privacy."

Mr Tranter said CareMalta tried to promote independence among its residences. "We offer an all-inclusive package, but the magnitude of services needed varies from person to person, which is in turn reflected in the price paid. So the more independent a person is, and the fewer services he needs, the cheaper the rate. We do encourage all residents to be as independent as possible and lead a life which is independent of our services."

He said that some people decide to go to one of CareMalta's homes because they no longer felt comfortable living alone, although they are still able to lead an independent life. "They know that as soon as there is a weak point in their lifestyle, they can increase the level of services that they get."

Asked whether elderly people who remained active tended to feel better healthwise, Mr Tranter said this seemed to be the case, adding that CareMalta had embarked on a wellness programme, which took a holistic approach toward elderly people's well being.

"Wellness is not only physical, but it also encompasses the intellectual, spiritual and social. We try to give our residents a balanced programme which motivates them on different levels, to keep them both mentally and physically active," he said.

Mr Tranter explained that there is an increasing take-up for this programme, with positive peer pressure among the elderly themselves.

He also explained that the elderly were being monitored to see how they were responding to the wellness programme.

"Our initial results are revealing improvement in mobility and flexibility, and also in the outlook of the person toward life."

Mr Tranter said the next step forward was the Prince of Wales development in Sliema, which would provide the missing link between people's homes and homes for the elderly. The development, he said, would enable residents to live an independent life, with supportive, non-intrusive hotel-type services on a visiting basis. The residence is expected to open in the next few months.

Living an active life

Former The Times photographer Frank Attard has not decreased his daily activities since he retired a few years ago. He is the epitome of elderly people who try to live their lives to the full once they stop working.

At 77, he believes that his active lifestyle keeps him healthy, especially since he goes swimming everyday during the summer months.

"I wake up at around 7.30 a.m., listen to the news while having breakfast, and then go swimming," he said. Mr Attard spends between eight and 10 hours on the beach in Birsebbuga, his hometown. "Tourists tell me I'm a landmark in Birsebbuga, always in the same place. Swimming keeps me fit."

Not someone to spend much time at home, Mr Attard goes out again in the evenings, usually to watch a football match. His camera is still an accessory he carries with him almost all the time, always on the look out for the perfect shot.

"I don't feel old, although there is no doubting that I am. I live life to the full, exercising, and I go abroad every year," he said.

Elderly within the population

The number of Maltese people over 60 increased by almost 20,000 between 1985 and 2003.

According to the National Statistics Office, the number of elderly in 1985 amounted to 49,515, and made up just over 14 per cent of the population.

The number of senior citizens who are 60 and over rose to 67,242 in 2003, making up 17.3 per cent of the population.

The NSO projections state that the percentage of over 60-year-olds will reach 22.4 per cent by 2020 and 30.3 per cent by 2035.