There are various opportunities to help the elderly participate in society, including helping them to remain as long as possible in the labour market, Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly Justyne Caruana tells Veronica Stivala.
As more people remain fit and healthy for longer, they continue to play a key role in society beyond their retirement age. And if we look at spending patterns, tax payments, volunteering efforts, and caring responsibilities, it is clear that the older generation contributes more than they actually receive in state social services, says Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly Justyne Caruana.
There is no doubt, she stresses, that in the coming years, older workers will increasingly assume the role of key players in the successful development of public and private corporations. The challenge for government is to transform Malta into a society for all ages, one that is properly preparing for individual and population ageing.
Unfortunately, negative stereotypes on ageing are found all over the world and Malta is no exception. And while we have succeeded in helping the elderly remain active and productive even in their 80s and 90s, they still remain a vulnerable group in society.
As people reach their 60s, the possibility of experiencing mobility and cognitive difficulties, as well as challenges related to health, increase. Dr Caruana laments how unfortunately, the media around the world tends to portray older people as a frail and fragile sector of the population.
“This serves to fuel the negativity associated with ageing,” she says.
We discuss how negative perceptions about the elderly can be overcome. The Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing strives to encourage a positive outlook towards the elderly in three key areas: employment, social participation, and independent living.
“Enabling older persons to remain as long as possible in the labour market and participate more fully in communities are the best operational tools to counter negative stereotypes and perceptions,” Dr Caruana says.
The secretariat is currently in discussions to create special types of leave so that workers can care for older family relatives. Such leave may include measures like work-time adjustment, flexible working, telework, job-sharing and specialised employment and vocational services guidance for older workers.
On the plus side, Dr Caruana notes how an ageing population such as Malta’s provides opportunities for participation in different ways and roles. These include employees, volunteers, family members, neighbours, caregivers, and members of communities.
Transforming Malta into an age-friendly society is one of the secretariat’s primary goals. To do this, it has implemented projects such as an intergenerational botanic garden at St Vincent de Paul Residence and an Active Ageing Centre for Older Persons in Santa Lucija and in Vittoriosa. The latter will also include a library and an age-friendly gym.
Dr Caruana is pleased to underline how her secretariat has been working to decrease the digital divide between older and younger Maltese citizens. Recently published Eurostat statistics placed Malta and Sweden third among the 28 EU countries where those aged between 65 and 74 use online social networks.
“This is very positive considering the high number of programmes being implemented in order to train elderly persons how to make use of digital media,” Dr Caruana says. She adds how government is also striving to ensure that older persons continue living in the community as much as possible.
This year, government launched the National Dementia Strategy and invested €330,000 to train people working with the elderly in both the community and care homes. In Malta, the number of individuals with dementia in 2015 was estimated to be 6,071, equivalent to 1.5 per cent of the general population. This figure is projected to reach 3.5 per cent of the population by 2050.
“We are in the process of setting up the first dementia intervention team, which will include a dementia care coordinator, occupational therapist, practice nurse, psychologist and social worker,” she notes. This intervention team will be complemented by the 24-hour national dementia helpline (1771), which was launched earlier this year.”
Dr Caruana explains how the majority of people with dementia live in the community and need tailored services delivered by adequately skilled health and social care staff. Urgent priorities being implemented include training non-professional staff in dementia care to ensure a better quality of life for those in residential care. Medium- and long-term government plans include strengthening undergraduate curricula, the gradual implementation of non-pharmacological interventions, strengthening long-term and palliative care, adoption of dementia-friendly measures, strengthening dementia research and the gradual adoption of an ethical approach to dementia care.
We discuss the standards in homes for the elderly and what is being done to improve them. The recently launched National Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Older People stipulates the minimum requirements for any facility to operate a care home, as well as the required knowledge, skills and competencies needed by management and staff to ensure that care homes deliver quality services. All public-owned care homes including St Vincent de Paul Residence are undergoing tangible improvements, both structurally and in terms of staff management, so that residents can live in dignity.
Active ageing emerges as a key overall theme in improving the standards at homes for the elderly and in society’s general attitude towards the elderly. Dr Caruana stresses how such homes should go beyond the traditional concept of elderly care and work hard to enable their residents to realise their full potential for physical, social, and mental well-being. The outlook is positive and remaining involved and active is surely a message we should all take note of now and when we grow older.