When we see the vulnerability of an old person we reflect that one day it will be our turn. Indeed, today it is the turn of our own parents to require attention, so let’s make it a happy summer (what’s left of it) for all of us and our loved ones. Let us not forget that it is not only morally correct to look after the needs of our parents but it is also a legal obligation to do so.
Our offices in Valletta receive a continuous stream of complaints from residents of homes for the elderly and their families. We have taken the decision to go to the homes concerned ourselves – immediately, if possible. We handle other, more complicated, situations by deploying our audit team at the Department for the Elderly.
We are still not fully equipped to resolve all problems permanently and it is probable that we never will be. We need more information and professional training for our staff, family carers and the public in general. However, this week we launched a new email address where complaints may be registered and next week we will have a freephone number in place as well. We cannot be there all the time, so every complaint or piece of information we receive will make us better placed to address the shortcomings in the services rendered.
We discovered in our research that our most vulnerable area for elderly care is Gozo. It is in the Gozitans’ nature not to complain or cause concern to others: in a more dramatic expression, they choose to suffer in silence. They never wish to inconvenience others with their problems and therefore we do not have the exact information on paper on the state of the elderly there. However, as a Member of Parliament from Gozo, I know very well what the problems are – even on an individual basis.
Traditionally, the elderly in any society are revered and cared for by the extended families. In Gozo, because most Gozitans have to travel to Malta for their study or work, the presence at home of younger members of the family is becoming less common. Emigration has always been an important factor for Gozo's population and add to this the other universal elements of longevity and diminishing birth rate and you will find that a high percentage of Gozo’s population is made up of vulnerable elderly people. The extended family tradition has diminished dramatically but it has not been replaced by other modern means of remedy.
It is a shame to admit that not much has happened in the last 25 years to ascertain the true state of affairs or to find remedies for serious misgivings in the care of the elderly sector in Gozo. We need to conduct thorough studies to arm ourselves against this phenomenon, which is why I strongly recommend all Gozitans to participate in the coming seminar on dementia on 19 September We are also organising an awareness march to mobilise all sectors of society in feeling the need to address such issues concerning the elderly.
There may be those who think that it is in my private interest to sound the alarm for Gozo, but this is not my intent. Gozo is the largest geographical area subject to these negative phenomena, which is why we are raising awareness of it. The same applies to other small areas in Malta which, however, have remedies of being able to resort to the internationality of neighbouring towns and villages. Valletta, which is like an island itself – surrounded as it is by bastions – is a microcosm of such a phenomenon. The number of citizens there is diminishing, with those who remain mostly elderly, and Valletta’s population is much smaller than that of Gozo.
We need to study and gather information about all the areas that are vulnerable to such repercussions of modern life. If we have the knowledge, it will give us the power to react. Our government promised to give this national duty its full attention. Information, however small, can arm us to guarantee that Malta looks after its own senior citizens in the best way modern methods provide. If we work together, we can do it. It will be our turn next to enjoy the privilege of a national standards policy for the elderly.
Dr Caruana is Parliamentary Secretary for the Rights of People with Disability and Active Aging