A growing number of people in Malta are making choices about the care support they need and are taking control over how they live in their community at home, rather than in a medical institution or care home. They are opting to take up self-directed support which puts them firmly in the driving seat on the journey to the independent and fulfilling life they want to live. Dignity is the new care service provider who have recruited 20 specialist staff to deliver independent living across the Maltese Islands.

There's a lot going on in community care here in Malta, and Dignity aim to highlight how local people can organise their support arrangements. Operations Manager Olivia Cuschieri says, “Dignity designs very individual solutions which enable people to enjoy more rewarding and enriching life experiences. That’s why we have spent a significant amount of time recruiting quality staff, training them, and working on the process for our ISO9001 accreditation. Training and performance appraisals are a big part of our ISO 9001 process to capacity-build quality into our care services.”
In the past, people assessed as having care needs found themselves treated somewhat as passengers in the care journey, with little say in how their needs were met, however Dignity’s range of options for independent living could mean deciding to employ a care assistant to help access facilities such as attending short clinical visits, or a course to improve their employment prospects. They could opt for a more flexible type of respite like being supported to stay at home with family instead of in a care home, or decide to get simple support with shopping, personal hygiene and preparing of meals to make independent living at home easier.

Neville Zammit, Dignity’s Care Manager asserts that, “Care professionals now work more closely with individuals to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are met in the best way, local people no longer need to feel restricted and limited by the way care packages are delivered. With the help of a free consultation with Dignity, we are able to provide the kind of support that is the key to providing greater choice and enables them to take greater control over their lives. We don’t just say ‘independent living’, we make it a reality for many different groups, the elderly, people with special needs, and anyone who needs support to remain living independently within their community. As a Staff Nurse, I was able to witness the fact that many individuals may have received an equivalent level of care by a qualified care worker in the comfort of their homes, which is why I feel so strongly about what we are looking to achieve at Dignity.”

Dignity has been running several pilot projects in its pre-launch phase, and has successfully introduced support to a wide range of local people and their families. Staff then share their experiences at training events, helping to lay the foundation for the wider roll out of the service, which will be fully launched in the next few weeks.

Dignity’s support is as much for family as the elderly, and Ms. Cuschieri says’ “It is important next-of-kin are involved in deciding what happens as much as possible. Our community care services are provided to support people to achieve their agreed goals, so Dignity’s support is carefully monitored to ensure the person is receiving good quality, safe services that are able to meet their individual needs.”
As Maltese families begin to think more creatively about what would help them live more independently at home for longer, Dignity, Ms Cuschieri added, sought to provide a flexible, end-to-end service to registered clients. After examining clients’ key medical history, Dignity professionals will take a pragmatic approach to designing a care schedule, including on-site care, remote monitoring services, and coordinate treatments like speech therapy or physiotherapy.
Free information and advice is available from Dignity to set-up a community care service support for any member of the family, on the web at www.dignityforlife.com or email: [email protected]