The Opposition today complained that insensitivity was being shown towards the dignity of the elderly because of lack of planning.

Addressing a news conference in front of St Vincent de Paul this afternoon, Social Policy shadow minister Paula Mifsud Bonnici and spokesman for the elderly Robert Cutajar said that although they agreed with ward restructuring, this should not be done in the two coldest months of the year.

They noted that although restructuring works at St Vincent de Paul’s St Joseph Ward 3 had been a long time coming, the works were now creating an inconvenience for the elderly.

About half of the 70 or so residents had not been moved to the detriment of their safety and those who were moved were taken to the dining areas in the Serenity and Madre Theresa wards. As a result, the residents of these wards were having to eat in their rooms or in corridors.

At the same time, a 29-bed ward at Karin Grech Hospital was also closed for infrastructural works.

Mr Cutajar asked about the government’s stated target of allowing couples to stay in the same room.

He noted that a 94-year-old man who had been married for more than 70 years had been in a home waiting for his 93-year-old wife to join him for nearly a year.

Mr Cutajar also said that the play/waiting room of Mater Dei’s pediatric day care ward had been turned into a room for two elderly people without any privacy.

He also spoke about day care centres saying that the government had kept under wraps two petitions by some 300 elderly from the Msida and St Paul’s Bay day care centres expressing support with the acting officers in charge.

These officers had been in an acting position for about eight years and were now being replaced with their experience not being taken into consideration during interviews.