About 95,000 people have a kartanzjan, a priority card that gives benefits and discounts to those who have just turned 60, Community Care parliamentary secretary Mario Galea said yesterday.

Mr Galea said that as birth rates dropped and life expectancy increased, the number of people over 65 was estimated to reach 103,000 by 2015, 125,000 by 2020 and 150,000 by 2050. Malta, he reiterated, required 150 new beds in elderly care homes every year to cope with its ageing population. Currently there are almost 4,000 beds for the elderly in the 37 homes run by the government, the Church and the private sector.

He was speaking during a press breakfast on elderly people and domestic violence held to mark the European year for combating poverty and social exclusion.

Mr Galea said although the government offered support for the elderly through its eight homes and services, this should not encourage people to dump these people on the government.

"It is relatives' responsibility to look after their elderly and not of the government. The government cannot afford to look after everyone. And at the end of the day old people are happier at home surrounded by people they know," he said.

Mr Galea said the aim of elderly care was to improve the quality of life of the elderly by helping them acquire skills that helped them remain active and independent.

"It is about adding life to years and not merely adding years to life," he said.

Stephanie Xuereb, the director of the Elderly and Community Services at the Health Ministry, said that last year the Electoral Office processed 9,452 cards for new kartanzjan holders.

That year, 76,607 meals on wheels were delivered to elderly people.

The CommCare unit, which delivers nursing care in the community, received an average of 70 phone calls a day.

Dr Xuereb said the ministry was exploring ways of ensuring that the 17 day centres were used to help the elderly acquire new skills, such as computer literacy, that would help them remain independent.