The president of the Government of the Azortes presided over the opening of the Elderly Home Santa of “Casa da Misericordia of Ponta Delgada” today; another governmental investment integrated in the network of social support infrastructures for the elderly which aims to fill gaps at various levels regarding the support for that age group.
Speaking at the occasion, Carlos César said that the guidelines in this term of office, with regard to the support policies for the elderly, “intend to create a favourable context to maintain the elderly in their own homes whenever possible, which means that we need to expand the home support network, create small residential homes, increase the number of day and night centres; therefore, promoting an active and protected aging.”
The President of the Azorean Government reminded that all the demographic indicators “point to the necessity for an increased concern with this age group, whereas the demographic aging phenomenon, which is growing in the European Union, is also happening in the Azores, particularly on the smallest and sparsely populated islands. “On some of them the elderly population has outnumbered the youth population, thus, in addition to continuing the policies focused on economic development and employment, we have to provide specific social responses to family support,” said Carlos César adding that this home “is an example” of that purpose.
The President of the Government acknowledged that this commitment involves a significant increase of public expense, “as, in most cases, the contribution of managing entities is almost at a logistical level and users’ contribution is modest,” but asserted that “there are necessities that need to be met, hence we will invest in the installation of a minimal care network for the elderly.
Therefore, the President stated “we will move ahead with the construction of the Pico da Pedra and the Rabo de Peixe Homes, expand Luís Soares de Sousa Home, install the Day and Night Centres in Salga Help and in Ajuda da Bretanha all on São Miguel and decentralise home support in Capelas.
In the case of Terceira Island, the expansion of the D. Pedro V Home, the Sao Brás residence and the Santa Bárbara Day Centre was carried out whilst “the construction of the Calheta Home with a capacity for thirty elderly has begun” on São Jorge; therefore, concluding the network of homes in all Azorean municipalities,” said Carlos César, reminding that the construction of a Night Centre in the village of Flamengos on Faial has started.
“With only with these initiatives, which represent an investment over 14 million Euros, the Network of Social Support Infrastructures for the Elderly enhances its response to over 260 seniors,” stated Carlos César.
The President of the Azorean Government conveyed his satisfaction regarding the increasingly adherence of private entities in the creation of diverse community services public funds.” In these cases the Government is in charge of promoting this intervention area and focusing on the investment where such private investments are not expectable.”
With the completion of these private initiative works, the Region will provide a better response to the elderly with more than 465 places in 2010, thereby improving the response coverage rate and reducing waiting lists, especially at homes, in home support and at the continuous care centres.
The home that was opened in Lages das Flores today has a capacity for twenty two people and represents a Government’s investment over two million Euros.
The home includes an industrial kitchen, a laundry and a Day Centre for the elderly, a structure that, according to Carlos César, creates "excellent conditions to improve home support in this municipality and to install another centre in the Azores with characteristics closer to family life.