Despite years of talk on standards in the elderly and disability sectors, it was only during this legislature that public consultation processes were launched and swift action taken.

When I was entrusted with the portfolio for both sectors in April 2014, I decided to take stock of the situation. Although it is not fair to generalise, it still hurts to recall how appalled I was when following up on a plethora of complaints by the families of elderly residents in several private and government homes.

I remember stating then that it was urgently imperative to establish a complete set of minimum standards for care of the elderly in residential homes. My aim was that these must be based on putting the elderly at the centre of care, respecting their dignity, freedom, security and mental and physical well-being, as well as their right to privacy.

 

Government’s role

We had immediately embarked on unscheduled visits, noting all the shortcomings, and started a series of public consultation meetings on standards for residential homes for the elderly. They were until then catered for by a blend of government homes with different private contractors for cleaning, cooking and care, or a combination of government and private contractors for medical and private care.

Prior to 2013, several government-owned homes had been contracted to private operators for extremely long periods. In some cases, government homes were contracted on 10 and 20-year agreements. Previous administrations between 2000 and 2013 had signed these agreements which expire in 2028. It is to be noted that the last of such contracts was signed on 5 March, 2013 – on the eve of the general election. 

What shocked me most then was the fact that, to complicate matters, homes for the elderly, whether public or private, could not be officially monitored, and consequently not accountable to any central monitoring authority. 

 

Quality and dignity – our priorities

The government was operating according to those contracts, and still is, but with more impetus from our end to secure best levels of services provided. Within the context of these contracts, the government, through the Department for Active Ageing and Community Care and its audit team, regularly ensure that the agreed service, as per contract, is provided by the contractors. It is for this purpose that regular inspections are carried and, through the determination of our officials and the cooperation of the respective managements, the situation has improved considerably. However, the major drawback remains that the services contracted were according to the needs of the time of signing.

Whoever concluded the contract did not provide nor even envisage the change in circumstances and other needs relative to ageing. There was no vision and these contracts clearly reflect this. This strongly contrasts with the new contracts we are concluding today, with the insertion of standards, human resources and facilities where the service given depends on the needs of the client. We are also in the process of re-evaluating existing contracts to enable us to re-negotiate them to address the shortfalls and flaws we found during our inspections.

Providing the elderly with good quality services is imperative and we constantly focus on securing them in all residential homes, as much as we ensure the efficiency and upgrading of other services within community care. It is the government's priority to ensure quality services and it was in view of this that, within a relatively short time since those my first days in office, standards for all elderly homes were established and a specific law is in its final discussion stages in Parliament for their enforcement.

Furthermore, the government has specific systems through which clients or their relatives can forward their suggestions and complaints in order that these can be respectively considered and investigated. This can be done on Freephone 8007 2367.

 

Upgrades at Imtarfa home

This week I remembered what I had commented on in 2014 when visiting the Imtarfa home for the elderly. In contrast with other appalling situations, I had evaluated the situation there as exemplary, despite the infrastructure of an old ex-services building, thanks to the management and staff, who went the extra mile to compensate for any difficulties.

 It was in fact a great pleasure last Monday to unveil the upgrading and radical refurbishing work carried out in just over a year on a ward for 24 female residents at the Imtarfa home. It was one of the first projects we had embarked on after my first visit and now we can all appreciate the highly professional work done, most of which were carried out by our own workers in the flooring, plumbing, electrical, air-conditioning, plastering and carpentry trades. Their skills and dedication saved thousands of euros for the public coffers and worked on a tight schedule, saving unnecessary hassle to residents and staff. The complete project includes the expert advice of engineers and the audit team who proposed structural and decorative devices that help older persons with particular needs. 

The inauguration itself gave me the opportunity to signal an additional project for the same home that currently hosts around 120 residents. Work will soon start on the refurbishment of another ward to accommodate residents with dementia. This will be another step ahead in our National Strategy for Dementia, adding to the recently opened ward at the St Vincent de Paul facility and respite services that we have introduced in Gozo.

 

Malta and China share knowledge

Several times, while abroad on official visits, my counterparts from other countries have been congratulatory about our level of service for older persons. This also happens during frequent meetings I have with ambassadors and representatives of international organisations. Despite all the admiration, we never pretend to be perfect as we know well that more can be done to attain even better results. Getting approbation from a far and vast country such as China is very encouraging.

Last week was packed with official engagements related to Malta's presidency of the EU Council. Besides meeting the EU team of Commissioners and the inaugural event in the Mediterranean Congress Centre, I was equally engaged with other events pertaining to my office. It was a good opportunity for me to launch the international training programme in Gerontology and Geriatrics for Chinese officials from the Beijing Civil Affairs Bureau organised by the United Nations' International Institute on Ageing in Malta. Despite their different land areas and population densities, both China and Malta are not an exception to population ageing.

Over the past 40 years of diplomatic relations, China and Malta have established a kind of friendly, close, cooperative relationship in all fields including older persons. The two countries have set up a strong working relationship to share the experience and knowledge on how to deal with the issue of ageing which is one of the biggest challenges facing humankind. It is very important that we continue sharing with other countries the knowledge and experiences when we are all facing the challenges of demographic shift. The ageing population is indeed of great social, cultural and economic significance. I am proud to see that a small island country such as Malta can play a key role in this field, and through the Institute on Ageing, make itself known to the world.

While we are all committed to secure full rights for persons with disabilities, it is almost blasphemous for anybody to deride these persons in anyway, let alone in public and without shame. My commitment for the rights of persons with disabilities will not allow me to ignore an emotional speech made by veteran actress Meryl Streep at the Golden Globe awards on Monday. Meryl Streep stated that an episode where a disabled reporter was imitated and mocked by a public figure in front of the world's cameras had sunk its hooks in her heart. 

"It kind of broke my heart when I saw it and I still can’t get it out of my head because it wasn’t in a movie, it was real life,” a tearful Meryl said. "This instinct to humiliate, when it’s modelled by someone in the public platform, by someone powerful, it filters down into everyone’s life because it kind of gives permission for other people to do the same thing. Such actions legitimise bullying. Disrespect invites disrespect, violence invites violence. When the powerful use their position to bully others we all lose.”

Meryl Streep earned the right to say that, and I gave a great sigh of relief. She used her moment of glory to state what we all should feel when anyone, however mighty, has the cheek to bully persons who have full rights to live in dignity and respect in a civilised world.