Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1060184
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 9 DECEMBER 2018 ELDERLY CARE E5 was neglected and deteriorat- ing. Today, the country is witness- ing a complete shift in this real- ity. Our elderly and their fami- lies now perceive St Vincent de Paul to be a state-of-the-art residence for highly dependent care. This change could only have taken place due to a num- ber of developments, both in- frastructural and with regards to its service provision. A re-branding process was initiated in SVP. There was a shift from admissions based on first come first served basis to setting a clear identity of SVP – a long term care facility for the highly dependent. The ad- mission policy is now based on a professional assessment. Infrastructural works Over the past few years, 11 wards have been refurbished with a total cost of €14 million. Additionally, infrastructural works are taking place in an- other five wards. The eldest building within St Vincent de Paul, Rużar Briffa Complex, is also undergoing refurbishment. The first phase of this project has already been completed, while the second phase is currently in progress. The total budget of this pro- ject is expected to add up to around €14 million. Additionally, SVP has been granted EU funds under the European Regional Develop- ment Fund, to change all infra- structure for the air condition- ing systems, with a total budget allocation of over €5 million. SVP looks forward to cater for the upcoming trends and chal- lenges amongst the elderly pop- ulation by increasing the bed capacity with around 500 beds; enhance dementia care through the establishment of dementia friendly wards, with an invest- ment of €7 million; further spe- cialisation in long term care for the elderly; €800,000 worth of renovation in the physiotherapy department, and the opening of the SVP kitchen to provide high quality services for the resi- dents. Human resources The administration at SVP has worked to hold its employ- ees' skills and knowledge as a priority. SVP has provided in- tensive training for its employ- ees, such as BSc Nursing, ac- credited carers and dementia courses. Thus, training oppor- tunities for staff members and for any other persons interest- ed in this sector are currently being held in-house. Moreover, there was an in- crease in the workforce from 1100 to 1800 employees, which means that the recurrent ex- penditure of SVP has also in- creased. New services There was the establishment of new services at SVP, which include clinical services such as active ageing, medical speciali- sation clinics, dementia wards, and alternative care; as well as operational, including profes- sional management, customer care, quality assurance, bed management, and admission office. Today, SVP provides holistic care to its residents, ranging from clinical to ancillary ser- vices. SVP provides nursing, support, medical and dental care; physio, occupational and speech therapy; podiatrist and nutrition services, infection control, tissue viability, de- mentia care, and pharmaceuti- cal services. However, it is not only about the number of ser- vices, but rather the quality. This is reflected through the drastic decrease in the number of wounds that the elderly had throughout the years. SVP operates on the belief that while the medical care of residents is essential, the social wellbeing is also vital. For this very reason, ancil- lary services are provided to the elderly, including social work services, active ageing, pet therapy, religious activities, welfare, customer care, trans- port, laundry, catering and training centre. Most of these services are also being used by outpatients liv- ing in the community. The Parliamentary Secretary for Persons with Disability, Anthony Agius Decelis, en- couraged further social activi- ties. In fact, for the first time, SVP residents and other elder- ly living in residential homes experienced a fully-fledged traditional feast, in celebration of St Vincent De Paul. Government, through con- tinuous financial budget allo- cation, infrastructural invest- ment and enhanced service provision, remains committed to a better quality of life of the elderly. Turning St Vincent De Paul into a state-of-the-art gerontology hub