In the first days of the New Year we rolled out the pilot project for live-in carers with older persons in their own homes. In less than a week over 300 persons have asked for application forms, inquired for more information about the project or submitted applications. The overwhelming reaction is no surprise to me as it proves that we are on the right track in providing what many had been asking for, namely enjoying their older years in their own family homes with direct State support – the essential rationale of the whole project.

The project is part of government’s programme towards a fair society where active ageing blends well with care for the elderly. Parallel with the ongoing upgrading and refurbishing projects at the St Vincent de Paule long-term care centre and State homes for the elderly, together with numerous public partnerships with the private and Church sectors in Malta and Gozo, we still reiterate our support for older persons to enjoy living within the community.

No initiative taken by my secretariat is ever meant to replace the loving care of our elders within their own families. We fully appreciate the social and psychological benefits elders can acquire when prolonging their natural role in their own ambience, surrounded by their immediate siblings or relatives. The live-in carer pilot project is in itself a tangible evidence of our commitment in this respect. The significant interest it has generated confirms that our initiatives stem from our attentive listening when consulting all stakeholders in the elderly sector.

Supporting older people who opt to remain living in their own family homes is bold

We are all aware that the demand for accommodation in residential homes will always be with us, given the ever-growing life expectancy as a direct result of healthier lifestyles, proactive medical care and other socio-economic factors. Prior to launching this pilot project and all along the time it is being implemented, we have and will still continue monitoring the numerous requests for accommodation, which amount to an average of five new applications every day.

Proper assessment and diligent management of availability in residential homes has led us to bring down waiting lists by 810 by the end of 2015 when 1,390 elderly people were waiting to be placed at a residential home.

New applicants for homes for the elderly will from now on be assessed within a maximum of two months.

The Department for the Elderly and Community Care will also send applicants an acknowledgement letter of receipt of application within two days after receiving their request for accommodation.

Our staff is to be thanked for their constant work, not only in handling requests but efficiently disseminating the correct information about the various services for different persons with a whole spectrum of circumstances.

With the pilot project of the live-in carers we are actually breaking barriers in the field of elderly care. This is a qualitative leap forward in government’s services for the elderly cohort who are fast growing in demographic terms. Supporting older people who opt to remain living in their own family homes is bold. It should induce many to enjoy their own and their family’s resilience rather than resorting to the traditional solution of seeking accommodation, which to some extent maycreate a feeling of being institutionalised – something we strive to avoid in every way possible. We are in fact aware of the trauma some older persons experience when entering a residential home, leaving behind a lifetime of home memories and fearing a partial loss of independence.

The live-in carer pilot project is also addressing this issue. A million euros have been budgeted for this pilot-project to take off this year, with a view to monitor its successful outcome and seek ways to improve on it and extend it to reach many others in the future. The initial response is very encouraging and we will ensure that the process of implementation in every individual case safeguards the best quality service applicants are given.

Together with my collaborators, I insist on the quality of all services provided – the National Standards established last year are proof of this commitment. In this project too quality comes first, and although applicants are free to choose the person who will care for them on a full-time or part-time basis, we step in to ensure that they are fully qualified carers and that they are paid in full respect of employment conditions. These points will be among the major criteria that will qualify applicants for government’s support through the equivalent of 50% of the national minimum wage in case of full-time carers and pro rata for part-timers.

My secretariat will in the meantime go ahead with all the ongoing and planned initiatives, through upgrades and refurbishing works in the government’s residential homes, not least re-branding of St Vincent de Paule as a long-term care centre. Needless to say, training is always in progress to ensure the best professional service our staff – our dedicated front-liners – can give, as expected and deserved by our older population.

The recently launched sponsorship of Masters degrees in gerontology and dementia is an epitome of what we have accomplished in this field over the past thirty months. The course leading to a qualification of a care worker offered by our department is now accredited both with the University of Malta and the Malta Qualifications Council, ensuring a qualitative content to the course. With regards to the quantitative aspect, this year we will be offering three courses instead of two.

The pilot-project is also meant to create more job opportunities for care workers. Further information on the project canbe acquired on my Parliamentary Secretariat’s website www.activeageing.gov.mt or by calling our staff during office hours on 25903175.

Justyne Caruana is Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing.

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