Four wards for women are being built as part of a project aimed to modernise the home. The government is doing its utmost to enable old people to live a better quality life as much as possible, Ms D’Amato said. Government’s main aim is to keep old people in their community but, when this is not possible, there must be complexes such as St Vincent de Paule where they can be cared for.

The whole project is expected to cost Lm2.5 million.

The wards in this project, which will accommodate 108 elderly people, will be accessible for elderly people who have problems with mobility. Dr Deguara said that elderly people made up 18 per cent of the current Maltese population. The longer people live, the greater the increase in degenerative diseases, which is why government should be well-equipped to deal with such difficulties.