Independent Living and Active Ageing in Gozo

Active Ageing and Community Care offers a variety of services aimed at helping older adults remain living as independently as possible in the community. In this regard, a multidisciplinary clinic was opened at Dar Padova in Għajnsielem Gozo, where various services are being offered to help Gozitan elderly people and their families have a better quality of life at the heart of the community where they live, writes the team at Active Ageing and Community Care.

With an investment of €140,000, Dar Padova was extensively refurbished in 2022, to offer new facilities that will continue to improve the quality of life for the elderly. A Dementia Activity Centre and a Night Shelter were already present prior to this refurbishment exercise. The Dementia Activity Centre is run by staff who are proficient and trained in dementia care. This centre helps reduce caregiver stress, whilst therapy is offered so that persons suffering from dementia can remain active in a safe, secure and dementia friendly environment.

On the other hand, the aim of the Night Shelter service is to offer a secure and protective environment during the night to older persons who live alone and who, for various reasons, may feel insecure in their home.

However, since Active Ageing and Community Care always strives for excellence, the premises were radically refurbished, and more services and new clinics have now been added. The modernisation of the facilities was carried out with the aim of continuing to strengthen the services linked to the care of the elderly in Gozo. Besides better facilities for the Dementia Activity Centre and Night Shelter users, new services were introduced including Phlebotomy Services, Domiciliary Nursing and Caring Services, a Vascular Clinic Service, Podiatry Services, Occupational Therapy Services, Domiciliary Dietitian Services, Clinical Nutrition Services and Psychotherapy Services. The rooms that are being utilised as clinics are equipped with the necessary medical equipment to enable the professionals to deliver their services to the highest standards. In fact, for the vascular clinic, a doppler vascular ultrasound was purchased.

The Silver-T Service is another new service being offered. This is a transport service which is free of charge and is offered to older persons to conduct their daily errands within the community, without having to depend on their families and friends. This service is also offered to the elderly that need transport to attend to appointments at the clinics in Dar Padova.

The Dementia Intervention Team is now providing community-based services to Gozitan people with dementia and their caregivers through the services of specially trained nurses that are now working from Dar Padova. A holistic assessment of the caregivers’ and care recipients’ situation is carried out at the person’s residence so that a care plan is tailor-made for each case.

Through the services provided at Dar Padova, Gozitan elderly people are now obtaining the health care services according to their needs and closer to their home.

All Gozitan senior citizens, over 60 years of age, are encouraged to make use of the services available at Dar Padova. Further details are available online on www.activeageing.gov.mt, on telephone numbers 153/22788900/22788238 (Gozo), email on aaccservices@gov.mt or visit Ċentru Servizz Anzjan in Gozo in the Citybel Complex, Level 3, Saint Martha Street, Victoria, Gozo.