One of the key factors in improving the quality of life of an individual is by improving nutrition. Research shows that the main meal is one of the daily highlights of vulnerable people, particularly those with disability and those who are older.

This week I was invited to address the National Conference on Nutrition, at which I emphasised the government’s commitment to making the necessary improvements in this field. We want everyone to lead a healthy life, but in order for this to happen, we must provide the proper education to foster awareness and spread information about healthy living. Let’s face it – healthy individuals make a happier society; There is a direct link between nutrition and a happy, healthy society that is both significant and important.

Naturally, nutrition is about ensuring that a person has a joie de vivre, improving psychological and intellectual performance, remaining active even if constrained by some impairment or old age, continuing being capable of concentrating. It is not just about avoiding getting overweight or responding to the ever-increasing pressure from the media to have ‘a perfect, sculpted physique’ (whatever ‘perfect’ means).

This is particularly relevant and important in relation to the ever-increasing rate of eating disorders among our adolescents and the resulting problems and complications: physical, psychological and emotional. People feel happy when they feel comfortable about themselves because having good nutrition not only serves a physical purpose but also a psychological and an emotional one.

Which brings me to another issue: we should guarantee that the nutritional needs of the elderly and those with a disability are assessed and monitored regularly, both in the community and in residential homes. We are improving food choices for the elderly, as we have done at St Vincent de Paul Residence through the new visual menu based on two weeks. However, we should regularly monitor the dietary needs of people with disability. This issue was also discussed during the sixth bureau meeting of the working group about ageing (WGA) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) which I had the privilege of addressing and together we discussed and explored various ways of collaborating to enhance our strategy for active ageing.

Keeping healthy, apart from the importance of a balanced diet, entails keeping physically active. Persons with a disability have the right, and the ability, to practice any kind of sport they like – just like everyone. The government wants to lead by example, which is why the Parliamentary Secretariat for the Rights of People with Disability and Active Ageing is in close collaboration with the Parliamentary Secretariat for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport to organise events to promote physical activity amongst those with disability. In fact, this week we organised a game of wheelchair basketball between a team of wheelchair users and MEP candidates from both sides of the political field. With all the hype of the MEP election going on, we came up with this idea in order to promote something for a good cause, something far from everyday rival politics.

This way we are promoting sport for people with disability, something we are planning to continue doing in the years to come. In fact, this week I also had the opportunity to participate in an event organised by Special Olympics Malta, the main outcome of which was the realisation that more needs to be done to literally open the doors to people with disability to practise sports. Special Olympics not only grant this opportunity but we pride ourselves that whenever these athletes participate in international events, they bring back gold, silver and bronze medals.

The government has also launched two documents for public consultation that will address the way of life of the elderly and those with disability. Both these documents concern standards for residences: one addressing Residential Standards for Persons with Disability and the other National Minimum Standards for Care Homes for Older People. These standards are ‘person-centred’, in order to enhance the quality of life of these groups. We are also currently working on the National Policy for the Rights of Persons with Disability.

This week we also launched our national focal point at the secretariat, which will be responsible for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disability. The focal point will work in close collaboration with a representative nominated from each and every Ministry to ensure the Convention is fully implemented in a holistic manner and not in a piecemeal fashion that would weaken its effectiveness. Our mission is to strengthen – in a variety of ways – the rights of those with disability. It has been a very fruitful week and there is more to come.

Dr Caruana is Parliamentary Secretary for the Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Aging