Homes for the elderly will soon be legally bound to draw up individual care plans for residents, organise activities and offer varied and healthy meals, according to minimum standards to be launched this week. The standards will also dictate acceptable sizes of rooms and recreational areas, staff-to-resident ratios and measures to empower residents to file complaints and be involved in decisions affecting them.

Currently there are no standards for care homes for the elderly, which means the authorities have nothing by which to measure whether homes are delivering a good service.

The government will this week launch the ‘National minimum standards for care homes for older people’ for three months’ consultation.

The standards will then be embedded into law, making them legally binding, Parliamentary Secretary for the Elderly Franco Mercieca told The Sunday Times of Malta.

These standards will apply to all the 37 government, Church and private homes that currently house over 4,000 elderly people.

Once the standards come into force, new homes will have to abide by them before a licence is issued, whereas existing homes will be given time to come in line with certain measures, such as the structural ones.

For example, existing homes will have 10 years to ensure that room size requirements are met.

“We are not just talking about the structure of the home. These are patient-centred standards that, for example, ensure that individual care plans are drawn up and reviewed according to the need of the resident.

“Even the caring staff will evolve according to the needs of residents in the home. There is also the concept of active ageing – we want to create activities and involve them in decision making.

“This will now be obligatory,” Mr Mercieca said.

While some homes already abided by high standards, there were some that did not, he noted. “Before, the authorities could not intervene in cases when standard were not abided by.

“This will change. We don’t want to shut down homes but we want to improve and regularise them,” he stressed.

Ms Mercieca’s head of secretariat Ivan Falzon added: “Now we have a red line.

“If you’re not good enough to go over that line, you won’t operate. As simple as that.

“We are protecting residents and increasing standards.”

Care home requirements

• Single rooms will have a minimum of 12 square metres of usable floor space, shared rooms at least eight square metres per resident.

• Homes must have a comprehensive guide for residents outlining services offered.

• Each resident will have a written contract with the home including details of the room, services, care and meals.

• All residents will have a care plan to be modified according to changing needs.

• The home will ensure residents are invited to visit the home and move in on a trial basis.

• Homes will have policies on the use of sedatives and antipsychotic medicine.

• Records must be kept of all medicines received, administered and leaving the home.

• Homes must offer a structured programme of activities and events.

• Three full meals a day must be offered with varied menus available.

• Homes must ensure there is an accessible and clear complaints procedure.

• A code of ethics must be in place for all staff members.