Opposition to update policy on the elderly

The labour Party is to hold a broad consultation process with the elderly and those who represent them to gauge their quality of life, Opposition Leader Alfred Sant said yesterday.

He told a press conference that the purpose of the exercise was to enable the party to update its ideas in view of evolving social and economic conditions.

Dr Sant said greater importance needed to be given to the development of social indicators concerning the elderly.

One also needed to consider whether the time had come for families to opt to 'foster' elderly people, enabling them to continue to life in their community.

The Opposition Leader criticised the government for having raised the contribution made by the elderly living in state-run old people's homes from 60 to 80 per cent of their pension, saying this badly affected their quality of life.

Marie-Louise Coleiro, Opposition spokesman on social solidarity, insisted that services in old people's homes run by the government needed improvement. This applied particularly to the quality of food at St Vincent de Paul Residence.

She said that many elderly people were concerned that they would no longer be entitled to certain medical services following the imposition of means testing.

Also present for the press conference was Labour MP Silvio Parnis.