Malta has ranked highest in the European Union for its citizens' satisfaction with the level of care provided to the elderly and other dependent people by the state and private sector.
According to the results of a Eurobarometer survey published in Brussels yesterday, 57 per cent of the Maltese respondents said they were very satisfied with the level of care. Only 19 per cent said they weren't.
This level of satisfaction is significantly higher than in the rest of the EU, where on average only 33 per cent shared the opinion of the Maltese in respect of their own services.
This positive Maltese view also emerged when respondents were asked about the level of service provided by professional carers such as doctors, nurses and other staff. A high of 84 per cent of respondents described the job they do as excellent, again earning Malta the top ranking among EU member states.
The only countries which got close to the Maltese were Finland and Sweden, known for their high standard of social services, where 81 per cent of the respondents said the care provided by professionals there is excellent.
The survey results also show that, as the aging population rapidly expands, there are increasing concerns that the elderly might fall victim to abuse, both by relatives and by professional carers.
Asked whether they thought poor treatment, neglect and abuse is widespread, 34 per cent of Maltese respondents said they feared this was the case. While this sounds worrying, it is still below the average in the EU where that feeling was expressed by an average of 47 per cent of respondents.
The worst scenario seems to be in Romania where 86 per cent of respondents think the elderly are being abused. Conversely, in Cyprus and Sweden less than one person in five feels poor treatment is widespread.
The European Commission said it is important to emphasise that abuse most often stems from a carer, a professional or a family member being overwhelmed and unable to cope rather than from any intent to harm.
The Commission estimates that by 2050, the number of people aged over 80 is due to increase three or fourfold reaching 12 per cent of the EU population.
The survey was carried out last year in all the EU member states among 29,000 respondents. In Malta, the survey was conducted by Misco on a sample of 500.