Pensioners to get COLA in full

Pensioners will be getting the full €1.16 cost of living increase, Finance Minister Tonio Fenech said this evening.

He added that the existing anomaly in the services pensions is to continue being addressed with the reduction of another €200 for this year, affecting around 6.200 pensioners.

Other measures for the elderly include the introduction of a pilot project at Msida through which multidisciplinary professionals will offer their services to encourage the elderly to remain in their community.

A day centre was also inaugurated at Mellieha and other centres were planned in more localities.

Millions were being invested for the best care possible to be given to the elderly by specialised professionals.

Maintenance of Karin Grech hospital continued until a rehabilitation centre is built.

The services that used to be provided at Zammit Clapp were transferred to Karin Grech for the former to be transformed into a 100-bed nursing home for the elderly through an investment of €1.8 million.

Work was also to be carried out on the refurbishment of two halls at St Vincent de Paul for patients suffering from dementia.

The night shelter pilot project at Zejtun had started taking the first elderly and another was to be opened at Mellieha in the coming weeks.