Mention the word independence and the face of 66-year-old Lillian Bugeja lights up.
My house is my castle
With a glint in her light blue eyes, she says the very key to her well-being was remaining in the house she loved while living safely and comfortably.
Sitting on a dark wooden chair with burnt orange cushions, her house has been brought up to standard thanks to a government grant that helps vulnerable and elderly people to stay in the community.
“My house is my castle,” she tells reporters and cameramen as everyone waits for the arrival of Family Minister Chris Said and Parliamentary Secretary Mario Galea.
The revamped scheme announced yesterday, called Making My House a Better Place, gives people who are over 60 years of age the chance to live in a safe environment and without the fear of having to move out into a home for the elderly, the minister said.
Dr Said and Mr Galea said the government was spending €1.76 million a day on the elderly, while €1 million had been spent on installing lifts in their homes through the scheme. So far, 729 people have been helped through this ongoing programme.
The little, unassuming post-war house belonging to Mrs Bugeja in which the press conference was held has changed dramatically, with the most basic but important elements upgraded.
Waterproofing on the roof, tiling, the installation of a new bathroom – which allows her to have a bath downstairs – and an electrical upgrade are some of things she was able to get done.
Originally from the UK, Mrs Bugeja, whose husband Guido passed away 25 years ago, lives alone, though her family spend the night when they can.
Speaking Maltese after first learning a few words from her husband, her “keep active” attitude to life is evident after teaching herself to speak the language.
“When you want you can learn,” she added in Maltese with a slight English accent.
Her appreciation for the help knows no bounds and she said she was just so grateful to have a roof over her head and a clean, good place in which to live. When a ministerial employee told her to apply for a stair lift, she said she could not possibly do so after already receiving so much.
With a spark of enthusiasm, she pointed out that her Maltese balcony too had been refurbished.