Just after Christmas I was talking to a cousin on the phone when all of a sudden she said: “Write about sheltered housing”

“But I’ve written so many times about sheltered housing... it’s never really taken off…”

“Yes, I know. But now so many of us here in Sliema really need it.”

As I could not ignore such a plea, when I decided to write these letters for the Year of Active Ageing I felt that I had to include one on the need of sheltered housing.

The number of elderly people living alone in Malta is rising all the time. Many of them feel that the house they lived in when they had a family has become too large for them, besides requiring too much work to keep it in acceptable condition. Most of them are still in relatively good health and don’t want to move into a home for the elderly just yet. They would rather live in a smaller flat that wouldn’t need too much looking after, where they would be able to do their own shopping and cook and eat what they like and when they like; and where there would always be a “guardian angel” hovering about in the back ground.

By moving out of their big houses they would be freeing them for use by bigger families, thus doing away with the need for even more homes and flats being built. Besides, our government is encouraging elderly people to continue living at home – in the community – even giving single persons who do so €300 a year (and couples €600).

So, not only is there a need for sheltered housing but probably also official approval. Now what is needed is someone or some organisation to provide sheltered housing: an entrepreneur or a group of them, religious bodies, local councils or even public-private partnerships. Above all, what is required from them is the right attitude. Not “Let’s go in for this and make some money” but “Here are some people who need help. Let’s help them. Probably we’ll also be able to make some money.”

Every town and village should have sheltered housing. It must be centrally located, near churches, shops and banks and not far from bus routes. And nice views would be welcome. Ideally sheltered housing should be built as such, but given the urgency and the enormous amount of empty and under-used buildings, my cousin and friends agree with me that many can be rehabilitated and turned into sheltered housing.

Basically what is needed is a night (bed) room and a day room (sitting/dining), a small kitchen, a box room, a bathroom, a spare loo, a small terrace or balcony to hang out the washing and definitely a front door (internal) complete with bell, as well as their own water and electricity meter.

The buildings that we consider suitable to be turned into sheltered housing are the blocks of flats that cannot be sold because the rooms

are too small. Instead of having a big bedroom an elderly person can easily use one room as a bedroom and another as a dressing room (or as a spare bedroom for a Filipina carer). And instead of having a combined sitting/dining room one can have separate ones.

Maybe sometimes it would be possible to turn two flats into three. Aparthotels would make excellent sheltered housing as would two adjoining hotel rooms, with one bedroom turned into a kitchen. Some hotels could turn a whole wing into sheltered flats, and then of course there are so many convents that are underutilised. The empty rooms could also be turned into sheltered housing – preferably with its own main entrance.

The people who own or run sheltered housing must be proficient in estate management/administration and also caring. The flats must be rented (not sold) to the residents who will also have to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of the common parts and for the “guardian angel” service.

Rather than having a couple living in one of the flats, I think there should be a round-the-clock concierge service working in shifts. Retired policemen or women would be ideal. They will ensure that no undesirable persons enter the building, and make themselves useful to the residents by checking on them by asking if they need anything; fix a gas cylinder or light bulb and take the post up or the garbage bag out for those unable to do so themselves.

Who is going to start providing sheltered housing?