A day centre with a difference shall be opening for the elderly of Mellieha and Manikata at Dar il-Madonna tal-Mellieha next week.

Mayor Robert Cutajar said the centre will not be based on the concept of it being a place where the elderly met to play bingo.

Courses aimed at teaching the elderly modern skills, such as using ATMs and mobile phones, will be organised. There will also be a fitness centre coached by staff from the Malta Sports Council.

The centre is to be run by the council and the government. While the Mellieha council has forked out €20,000, it will be manned by civil servants.

Parliamentary Secretary for the elderly Mario Galea this morning visited an open weekend that is being held at the centre and announced that the home for the elderly in Mellieha, which was adjacent to the centre, was to start offering a night shelter service for elderly who wanted to continue living in their own home.

The home, he said, would also be offering a respite service for family members to leave their elderly relatives for short periods at the home while they took a holiday, for example.

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