New home service for elderly diabetes patients launched
Over 40 per cent were missing medical appointments
Elderly people with Diabetes Mellitus will be able to manage their condition at home after it emerged that more than 40 per cent of patients were missing key medical check-ups.
The Home Diabetes Management service, launched on Tuesday, is aimed at reaching elderly patients living with Diabetes Mellitus who are not following the established care and monitoring process.
Speaking at a press conference, Parliamentary Secretary for Active Ageing Malcolm Paul Agius Galea revealed that out of 416 elderly people who used the insulin administration service provided by Active Ageing and Community Care over the past year, more than 43 per cent failed to attend the required appointments while around 20 per cent had no proper medical records.
The new service is aimed at elderly people who live in their own homes and are often limited in mobility.
It is estimated that one in 10 people in Malta live with the condition.
Agius Galea pointed out the service will act as a “crucial safeguard” for patients with diabetes, as monitoring, education, and support will be provided in a highly personalised manner directly in their homes.
He added that such a targeted and focused service will contribute to improving the quality of life of these elderly people and, consequently, reduce the need for more serious and long-term medical care and treatment.
Ultimately the new service’s goal is to provide a “better quality of life, both physically and psychologically” for the elderly, leading to “greater independence and peace of mind”, Agius Galea said.
The Permanent Secretary within the Ministry for Health and Active Ageing, Renzo De Gabriele, said that the launch of the Home Diabetes Management service represents “an important step toward more integrated and personalised care in the community”.
He added that diabetes remains “a serious public health challenge” in Malta.
The Chief Executive of Active Ageing and Community Care, Steve Agius, said the initiative is part of a broader, integrated ecosystem of services to support the elderly, adding it was a “proactive and preventive” approach, where early interventions are designed to avoid complications and greater dependence on institutional care.