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Population of Vojvodina is demographically very old,
with more than 13% of older than 60 in total
population. Results
of the last census confirmed that every fifth
elderly person is living alone, and every second
elderly person lives with their spouse or in a
multi-member elderly households.
The
urban area of Novi Sad has a population of about
300,000 people. More than 16% of the population in
Serbia are older than 65 years. It is estimated that
about 3% of the elderly have a need for home care
and assistance at home. There are about 1,500
elderly people in need for such services in Novi
Sad, and only 500 are receiving services (according
to estimates) from different service providers in
the city. When old people come into a situation that
they need help and / or care, families are often
placing them in homes for the elderly. Capacity of
the institutions are also limited. In many cases,
institutionalization of the elderly can be delayed
if necessary support at home is provided.
NSHC's Home Care Services
for the Elderly had started with work on 9 October 2006 as a
continuation of activities started in January 2002, when
home care services were initiated for the first time in
NSHC, with support from German organizations Renovabis and
Malteser. Home care services were
implemented within a Pilot Project in Novi Sad, which was one
of the components of the Programme ''Support to Eldelry
Protection Policy Reform (second phase)''. The Programme was implemented by Italian NGOs
Progetto
Sviluppo CGIL, ARCI Cultura e Sviluppo, in cooperation with
the Ministry of Work
and
Social
Policy
of
the
Republic
of
Serbia,
cities,
social
and
health
institutions,
NGOs
and
elderly
associations
in
Kragujevac
and
Novi
Sad.
The
Programme
was
co-financed
by
the
Foreign
Ministry
of
Italy,
and it officially ended
on
8
March
2009.
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"I can only say good words about
your Service and how it is organized.
I am very pleased.
My leg hurts so I no longer go
out, not even to the store.
Sofija is great,
she helps me a lot.
I'll be sorry when
she won't be able to come any
more.''
Katica
P.,
user of
Home Care Services |
Provincial Secretariat for Labour,
Employment and Gender Equality,
within the Public Works Programme,
supported the work of our Service
in the period from 1 September
2009 to 28 February
2010.
Our efforts to obtain financial support for Home
Care Service continue in the following period. We
hope that the City of Novi sad is going to recognize
the importance of this and similar projects, and
that it is going to support activities for the
elderly. In the meantime, associates and volunteers
of NSHC are going to stay in contact with its
beneficiaries and continue to provide assistance and
support within NSHC's limits.
Main Results of the Home
Care Service
In the period from 1
September 2009 to 28 February 2010,
NSHC visited the 96
beneficiaires and assessed their needs. Services have
been approved for 83 users. Most
users have difficulties
in moving, and 5 users are immobile.
The gender structure of beneficiaries is the
following: 66 (80%) are women
and 17 are men (20%).
37 beneficiaires (45%) have
more than 80 years, 38 (45%) are aged
between 65 and 80 years and 8 (10%) are
younger than 65 years.
During this period,
we provided 3,990
services: 3,971
help-at-home services and 19
free haircut services.
Results of the
Pilot Project in Novi Sad:
From
October 2006
to March 2009 a social
worker and a senior nurse have paid home visits to all
359 elderly persons who had applied for our services. Most of these beneficiaries were
recommended to our staff by their relatives and neighbors.
Out of the
mentioned number, services were approved for 217
elderly person based on established selection criteria. There were
20,425 home visits.
33.7% of our beneficiaries received home care services
only, 54.6% received help at home services, 8.5%
received both kinds of services, and 3.1% received doctor's services only.
There were
356 doctor's visits and services for the
beneficiaires. Services
provided were medical check-ups, supervision and advice.
Information
leaflets for beneficiaries were printed in 10,000 copies.
Half of that amount was distributed during the first year
through institutions and directly.
Within this project, and in
cooperation with other providers of social and health
services in Novi Sad, NSHC prepared a publication ''Social
and Health Services for the Elderly - Research in Novi
Sad''. This publication, first of its kind, was made in
order to serve as a basis for
preparation of a comprehensive guide through various srevices
for the elderly in Novi Sad. |
