An agreement was signed this week at Teatru Manoel between Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing Justyne Caruana, Josianne Cutajar, CEO of St Vincent de Paul Long Term Care Facility and Ray Attard, CEO of Teatru Manoel. The agreement is for Teatru Manoel, through its Toi Toi Education Programme, to send a specially engaged singer who will sing along the wards and corridors as well as at people's bedsides to send live music in order to "take the theatre" to those who are no longer physically able to go themselves.
"Send a Song", the programme's title, is very dear to the Toi Toi Programme - Music can mobilise people in several ways, be it emotionally, physically or cognitively. We have witnessed such special moments through a pilot project visiting 12 homes and we have absolutely no doubt that this programme will enrich the lives of many", says Rosetta Debattista who is a Music therapist and runs the Teatru Manoel Toi Toi Education Programme.
Ray Attard, Teatru Manoel's CEO stated, "Whilst the Toi Toi programme is hugely successful in building our future audiences by introducing the performing arts to the young, we did not want to forget those who have supported us in the past but can no longer patronise us. This is our way of keeping the theatre alive for them without them actually having to be physically in a theatre. Trial visits of this project have been very well received and we eventually hope to extend this to other residential homes for the elderly".
Parliamentary Secretary for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing Justyne Caruana expressed the Government's aim to keep providing quality care to older people residing in St Vincent de Paul Long Term Care Facility, particularly those with the condition of Dementia. To this end, the Parliamentary Secretariat is continuously seeking partners and stakeholders to embark onto new initiatives.
Dr Caruana described the agreement signed today with Teatru Manoel and St. Vincent de Paul Long Term Care Facility as another important step towards a qualitative service provision to our residents.
Dr Caruana also noted the fact that the Government, through the Parliamentary Secretariat for Rights of Persons with Disability and Active Ageing has introduced several initiatives for older persons residing in St Vincent de Paul Long Term Care Facility, including learning programmes related to digital technology amongst others. She concluded by thanking Teatru Manoel's administration for their collaboration and commitment towards the well-being of older persons residing in St Vincent de Paul Long Term Care Facility.
Anyone interested in commissioning this project for any home for the elderly can do so by contacting Ruth Agius on 2122 2618 or email [email protected]