Was there really a time when the Maltese were known for their hospitality? Do we recall the days when values were worth more than money?
It is a shame that we are running headlines that warn of “record numbers of elderly homeless” in a country where we once were so proud of our inter-generational ties.
This is not an overnight problem, and neither is it a simple one to resolve. But resolve it we must as the trends are worrying and will only get worse.
Non-profit organisation YMCA recently reported that 39 clients aged 60 and over had turned to it for support, three of whom were over 80. It might not sound like a huge number – except when it is seen in the context of other metrics.
For example, banish the thought that any increase in the number of people seeking help from YMCA only reflects the growing cohort of third country nationals doing low-paying jobs.
The reality is that the caseload is going up, but so is the percentage of them who are Maltese: it was just half in 2023 but was heading towards 54% by 2024.
This reflects the fact that very few expatriates or migrants stay here once they get close to retirement: 30% of Maltese persons are 60 years and over, compared to just 6.8% of migrants.
In the meantime, rooflessness increased fourfold between 2023 and 2024. It is clear from poverty statistics that the cost of housing is becoming an issue and, if you look at the specific topic of elderly homeless, it has much to do with the fact that care homes are filled to overflowing, and the priority is given to those who are medically dependent – a criteria which does not take into account their level of vulnerability, leaving all too many without an alternative.
According to the National Statistic Office, almost three out of every four people who were “severely materially and socially deprived” considered housing costs to be a heavy burden. Do not look away: another NSO report says that this definition applies to a staggering 21,853 people.
It is a shame that we are running headlines that warn of 'record numbers of elderly homeless' in a country where we once were so proud of our inter-generational ties
The NSO warns that the bulk of these are children or the elderly. There are many reasons for the falling fertility rates – which puts in perspective the growing lack of balance in a population that now has over 20,600 people aged over 80, with all the age-related health problems and dependency that you would expect.
The government is aware of the problem: the Ministry for Social Policy and Children’s Rights last year had a public consultation on the proposed National Strategy for Poverty Reduction and Social Inclusion 2025-2035.
This, together with a policy on active ageing, proposes many ways to address the pressure on the disadvantaged with regard to social and economic challenges.
Part of the problem comes from demographics but part of it is also due to social and cultural changes.
More women go to work and are unable to offer full-time care to their parents, while housing gets smaller, meaning that there are fewer households with more than two generations.
From elderly patients lined up on stretchers in the Accident and Emergency waiting room, to demand for beds at care homes, the picture is a grim one that reflects on what our aspirations are as a nation.
What options are there? What options should there be?
It may be impossible to eradicate rooflessness and poverty from society but reports like these should serve as wake up calls from the consequences of ignorance.