120 wintering homes for the elderly have been organised in Belarus, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection informed a BELTA correspondent.
120 wintering homes for the elderly have been organised in Belarus, the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection informed a BELTA correspondent.
According to specialists, the essence of this innovative form of social service is that two or three elderly neighbours unite for cohabitation during the winter period in one of their own homes, where they are served by a social worker.
The activity of seasonal housing facilities (there are 2 such facilities) is also aimed at organising cohabitation of the elderly in the autumn-winter period. In these residential premises of communal ownership, people with disabilities who find it difficult to cope with household chores independently during the autumn-winter period move in from their own homes for the winter.
Another developing form is joint independent living facilities: people with disabilities who do not have their own housing or have found themselves in a difficult life situation move into a residential building that has been brought into normal technical condition. The difference from seasonal housing facilities is that living in these facilities is permanent, regardless of the time of year. As a rule, social workers provide patronage over the residents, and if necessary, other district services are involved. In total, as of October 1 this year, there were 26 joint independent living facilities in the republic.
Among the innovations is also the foster family for an elderly person (there are already 222 such families). Placing elderly people in families for residence is becoming increasingly widespread in the regions of the republic.
The geography of innovative forms of work will be expanded, taking into account the demand for these types of social services, the ministry noted.