The Azorean Government opened on Thursday four residences for the elderly of the “Santa Casa da Misericórdia” of Praia da Graciosa at an event chaired by the President of the Government.

In a public investment of about 300,000 Euros, the project will “expand the response capacity of this island, allowing the elderly to become more autonomous,” stressed Ana Paula Marques
Being addressed at couples, this project also aims to provide a response to the situations when one of the members needs permanent care and close support that cannot be provided at home.

Integrated in the context of the Government’s statutory visit to the island of Graciosa, the initiative, according to Ana Paula Marques, “demonstrates once again the Government’s commitment and investment in the support to the elderly population.”

Mentioning the commitment of the Azorean Government in developing policies and measures to support the elderly, who are in a situation of vulnerability, the Regional Secretary stressed that “the action taken by the Government not only aims to reinforce the existing capacity, by increasing the number of places, but also the respect for the rights of the elderly.”

With regard to the investments carried out by the Government for elderly support, Ana Paula Marques mentioned the existence of 28 homes and shelters with capacity 1,125 seniors; 129 social centres with capacity for 4,218 seniors; 12 day care centres covering an average of 281 seniors, and 38 home support services providing support to nearly 2,100 users on a daily basis, covering a total of 7736 users in an annual funding effort of 11.3 million Euros.

As the Secretary added, “of the 686 cooperation agreements, amounting to 52.2 million Euros, the Government has signed 17 cooperation agreements on the island of Graciosa, corresponding to an investment over one million Euros.

The Regional Complementary Pension, covering nearly 36,000 pensioners in a global amount over 20 million Euros and COMPAMID, supporting 11,206 beneficiaries in an investment amounting to two million Euros, were other support measures addressed at the elderly emphasised by Ana Paula Marques.