Elderly Care Issues: ministry discusses several models

Armenia is considered an aging country, with a population of 63+ being 13.7 percent of the total population. According to UN Population Fund’s predictions, the number of people over the age of 63 in Armenia will be about 25% by 2050. It means that the Armenian government should take steps as early as possible to be able to be ready and face that serious social-economic and demographic challenge.

The RA Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs has elaborated and submitted to the stakeholder organizations the conceptual directions for the de-institutionalization of elderly care and the development of alternative community services. Recently, Deputy Minister Gemafin Gasparyan, representing a number of NGO representatives, presented the details of the project and invited them to make suggestions and observations at the discussion stage. In other words, the project is not final and ends only after taking into account the opinion of the stakeholders.

The project stems from the main priorities of the Government’s action plan: poverty eradication, social protection and demography. And the fact that the sector needs reform is also aimed at eliminating the problems of the elderly, statistics show.

According to Deputy Minister of Labor and Social Affairs Gemfin Gasparyan, the ultimate goal is to create a society for people of all ages, especially with the progressive aging process of elderly people, and gradually transition from institutional services to care through community services, emphasizing the role of the family and community in the lives of older people, participation in community life and decision-making.

According to him, the ministry has decided to work on alternative models of alternative services that can be offered as an alternative to 24-hour care institutions.

1) Community-based small homes for elderly people.

2) Nursing  service at home.

3) Day-Care Center for the organization of active leisure and cultural life of elderly people.

4) Active School of Longevity and Healthy Lifestyles.

5) Assistance to an elderly member of the family.

6) Social Assistant Service;

7) Elderly care in a foster family.

8) Social apartments in different directions.

9) Centers for mutual assistance and employment of different generations (elderly children);

10) The elderly to elderly (voluntary mutual aid groups);

11) Special hospice for older people.