Health Minister Joseph Cassar on Tuesday held out the possibility of men becoming part-time social assistants and giving service in St Vincent de Paul Residence or government old people's homes, even though their services were not allocated to home help.

Dr Cassar was answering three parliamentary questions by Anthony Agius Decelis (PL).

He said there was currently a need for 30 additional workers for the home help service.

The first group of new part-time social assistants had been employed on December 3, 2009.

They had been given information on how to give their service with the constant support of their area supervisors.

The number of senior citizens waiting to be given home help at the end of October was 79, with 26 others requesting to have enhanced or additional services. The waiting list had been created by the lack of helpers, but the situation should be getting better within the next few days with new helpers starting to give their services.