In times past, elderly persons did not have the facilities they have today and only had their children to care for them. Others who were not so lucky had to fend for themselves. But, then around 250 years ago, a semblance of a home for the elderly came into being when an ospizio was built by the Knights of St John.
Then, in 1878, a congregation of nuns, founded in Britanny, France by Jean Jugan with the specific aim of caring for the elderly, came to Malta and set up their first home in Pietà. After two years, the congregation had to find another premises and acquired a spacious villa in Ħamrun, Villa Placas.
Other religious female congregations then opened up their own homes for the elderly. The Dominican Sisters opened a hospital, named St Peter’s, at Lija but it eventually closed and the place was turned into a home for the elderly.
The Dominican Sisters had also opened a home in Ħamrun for severely disabled persons but when Id-Dar tal-Providenza, in Siġġiewi was founded by Mgr Michael Azzopardi with the same aim, patients at the Ħamrun home were transferred there and the home run by the Dominican Sisters became a home for the elderly.
Yet another home for the elderly, Pax et Bonum, was set up in Mosta by the Congregation of Franciscan Sisters.
Besides all these religious congregations of nuns, there were also several orphanages for boys and girls who used to allow some inmates who did not have any family to stay at the orphanage once they grew old. By time, voluntary associations like the Welfare Society for the Sick and the Aged and the Social Action Movement also got involved in helping the elderly.
In 1892, the government built St Vincent de Paul hospital for the aged at Luqa. Known locally as l-Imgieret, this hospital-cum-home soon became overcrowded and, since then, other wards have been built from time to time, resulting in a colossal institution. Notwithstanding, St Vincent De Paul is still crowded and the government, at times, pays for beds in private homes.
Homes for the elderly have now mushroomed all over Malta. Besides, some entrepreneurs have also built luxurious homes and apartments for those who can afford them.
The government has now also created a ministry to cater for the aged. It is also much in favour of helping the elderly to try and live an independent life in their own home and, to this end, it continued to make use of schemes originated by the former governments and created new ones.
Thus, the elderly can today take advantage of several services which are offered at their own home like domiciliary nursing and caring, occupational therapy, phlebotomy, physiotherapy and podiatric psychotherapy services, besides others.
Other practical services available to them include Meals on Wheels, the handyman service, home help, night shelters and telecare.
Room for improvement
Active ageing centres offer a programme of activities which keep the elderly always on the go. And there are government subsidy schemes to help keep the elderly at home and in the community. These include subsidies for the Carer at Home scheme, for the setting up of a chairlift and for changing bathrooms into showers.
We have come a long way but, as Minister for Active Ageing Jo Etienne Abela said during a recent televised programme, one is happy with the progress achieved but there is always room for improvement and achieving more goals. This is so true because an ageing body needs a lot of care and help.
The elderly have to do their part to keep themselves as active as possible
But, besides all the schemes and help available, one has to keep in mind that the elderly have to do their part to keep themselves as active as possible. It is of the utmost important that those who are still mentally and physically fit engage in some worthwhile hobby or join some voluntary organisation. This way, they would feel they are still needed in society and that they still belong to the community, besides having something worthwhile to do and which, above all, would be gratifying for them.
This is what keeps the elderly going… but they have to help themselves.
Joe Cordina was employed as a PRO with the Secretariat of the Elderly and then with the Healthy Ministry. Just before COVID-19, he founded a club for people who live alone, calling it ‘Come and have a coffee and you will not feel alone’.