Long-term care for Gozitan elderly launched

The government has purchased 10 long-term care beds for the elderly at Villa San Lawrence, as part of a public private partnership aimed at addressing problems of social cases at the Gozo General Hospital.

“The government has recognised the problem of social cases at the Gozo General Hospital and has also recognised that, for many years, a wrongful practice was being utilised, in order to hush up waiting lists for residential services,” parliamentary secretary for the elderly Justyne Caruana said.

Caruana said elderly asking for residential services had been placed at the hospital’s wards, causing overpopulation.

Caruana said the government was tackling this problem by offering long-term residential care services on the sister island. Such services, she said, were being offered for the first time.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MUMN) had also flagged the issue, saying that the social cases at the Gozo General Hospital were on the increase.  

Caruana also said that services for the elderly in Gozo are expected to increase during the coming months.

The first respite service in Gozon was launched just a few days ago.