Workers at St Vincent de Paul’s Residence for the Elderly and Villino Maria, which houses people with a disability, were on Wednesday visited by Prime Minister Robert Abela.

At Villino Maria in Mtarfa, which visit took place in the open air in the vicinity of the residence as a precaution, the Prime Minister spoke with the workers who had moved in the home as well as others.

Employees at the residence amount to around 130. 31 of those are living at the home, having moved in to ensure residents are cared for during the COVID-19 outbreak.

This was one of the measures adopted by Sapport, the agency that runs the home, in agreement with the workers and as a measure to protect the disabled people who lived there.
 
The aim of the residence is to be of service for people with a disability to be able to live in a small residence in the community for a good quality of life and to be included in community life.

Residents participate in programmes according to their abilities, aimed at giving them the independence to reach the desired aims. They are taught how to use a bus to be able to travel independently and some attend day centres, work or go to school.

The management team was supporting staff through telephone calls, and food and cleaning stuff were being bought through online delivery where possible.

Prescribed medicine was being delivered to residents in coordination with the pharmacy of your choice scheme.

At St Vincent de Paul, which houses around 1,100 elderly in 33 halls, the Prime Minister thanked the 1,800 workers there for the sacrifices they make.

Residents at the home were being kept in their halls for their own good, he said.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Family Minister Michael Falzon and parliamentary secretary for the elderly Silvio Parnis.