Speaking to a Chinese delegation in Malta for a short training programme on the social and health aspects of ageing, Mrs D’Amato explained that people are living longer and therefore policies and programmes must be set up to help prevent and reduce the burden of disability in old age.

The parliamentary secretary addressed the closing ceremony of the programme organised by the International Institute on Ageing (INIA). She said that demographic transitions triggered the need for the Parliamentary Secretariat for the Care of the Elderly which, from this year, is now within the Health Ministry.

The secretariat’s policy aims at safeguarding the elderly’s standard of living, providing them with the care and attention they need and encouraging them to have a social life, therefore avoiding exclusion and marginalisation, said Mrs D’Amato.

She said another aim of the secretariat is to help old people to continue living in their homes as long as possible through services such as meals-on-wheels and home help.

Mrs D’Amato noted that the elderly themselves had a hand in the work being done to deal with issues concerning ageing. The state, the Church, the private sector and voluntary organisations have made valuable contributions to these issues, but nothing could have been done without the help of the elderly community.

The public needs more education on issues related to the elderly and Mrs D’Amato emphasised that there must be an awareness that the elderly are an asset to society and should not be treated otherwise.