Standards for elderly people’s homes will be revamped to ensure all service providers cater for today’s expectations, including the provision of Wi-Fi and air conditioning.
The reviewed standards, to be issued for consultation in the first quarter of 2020, will focus on quality and will replace the outdated national minimum standards that have been criticised for offering the bare minimum in terms of standards.
“We started discussions and research to update the standards, as people’s social expectations are changing. In the past, the care of the elderly focused on the quality of food and on ensuring Mass was celebrated regularly. Today, they ask for Wi-Fi and air conditioning. The authority now needs to ensure that service providers understand and cater for these evolving needs,” said Matthew Vella, the Social Care Standards Authority chief executive.
Times of Malta contacted Mr Vella’s office after receiving complaints from readers whose loved ones reside in homes for the elderly. One man, who preferred not to be identified, said the situation at the private home was unbearable in summer as there was no air conditioning in his mother’s room. Another man complained about the lack of the quality of carers in a private home.
Mr Vella said the new standards will seek to address two main challenges: the inadequate infrastructure of older homes and the shortage of quality carers.
Those homes that do not currently have the necessary infrastructure to cater for basic requirements (such as air conditioning) will be required to draw up a long-term plan within which they will have to update their premises.
A register for carers
Caring standards will be addressed by ensuring all carers are registered and have the necessary skills and training.
In the past, the care focused on food quality and regular Mass, today they ask for Wi-Fi and air conditioning
“Currently, people become carers by completing a course through MCAST or through accredited agencies. But over the years we have seen carers who do not have these qualifications. We are looking at introducing systems to measure the qualifications of foreign workers and ensure ongoing professional career development. We are also considering introducing a clause requiring foreigners to complete a basic course in English and Maltese within six months of coming to Malta,” he said.
The authority was set up last year but the elderly sector was only transferred to the authority last January. The sector covers 46 homes with a total of 3,156 beds. The homes include 19 private homes, 14 church-run and 13 government-run (excluding St Vincent de Paul) homes.
Since then, the authority carried out over 200 visits in care homes that included scheduled visits and random, unannounced monitoring visits.
“Within two weeks, we demand a plan of action with milestones to implement those changes,” he said.
Introducing different categories
The authority is currently studying the option of separating care homes into different categories: residential homes with more focus on support services to keep residents involved in the community, and nursing homes which require more care input.
Currently, all homes fall under the same category of care homes, even though their residents have mixed needs. Separating the homes into categories would ensure that requirements and standards are more geared towards quality and specialisation.
In coming weeks, the authority would be setting up a platform for service providers to meet regularly and share best practices.
Concerned citizens can direct their feedback to SCSA on feedback.scsa@gov.mt or call on 2549 4345.
PD calls for audit
Partit Demokratiku has called for an audit to be carried out to ensure that residential care for the elderly meets minimum standards.
It said that, despite a Care and Standards Authority for Elderly Residential Care having recently been established, the holistic service being offered to elderly residents is becoming worse.
The reason, it said, seems to stem from the ever-higher costs spent by service providers to offer a dignified service.
“It is time that the Standards Authority audits this sector and ensures that not only are the minimum standards kept but that there is a level playing field between service providers when government procures residential services. Government’s model of conditions of service also needs auditing as cost savings from its part may lead to the inferior service,” said PD leader Godfrey Farrugia.
He called on the government to address this issue in the next budget and conduct a study on how to sustain this sector in the years to come.