The elderly between four roads, not enough asylum

In 2019, a national plan was adopted aimed at coordinating the policies and institutions for the social integration of the elderly. The State Social Service is responsible for implementing the plan, which is subordinate to the Ministry of Health and Social Protection. Asylum, or otherwise called residential institutions, occupy an important place in this panorama of institutions that provide services for the elderly. Currently, in our country there are homes for the elderly in Tirana, Shkodra, Kavaja, Fier, Gjirokastra and Poliçan.

« The public part has very limited capacities in relation to the real needs of citizens and which is an upward trend. Of course, there are more institutions. There are some international norms, for example, for 100,000 inhabitants there should be a home for the elderly, we do not yet have it, » said sociologist Gëzim Tushe.

« The limited opportunity that pensioners have at certain ages find it difficult to live alone, even if they had financial support from children, » said economics expert Klodian Muco.

Residential service for seniors is provided by the state through the homes of the elderly and daily centers. The public system is built in such a form, which often makes it difficult or impossible to register in these institutions. Many elderly, immersed in misery, remain among the four roads due to various restrictions.

The only solution for these seniors remains private asylum. But these institutions have often been charged with violence or lack of care for the elderly, despite the high cost of family members.

« One of the solutions is that either their family members guarantee social assistance and can receive assistance by paying certain persons to live with them, or traditional families who continue to keep their parents. There is also the third part where children live in immigration and need what we call elderly or asylum houses, » said economics expert. /Tch/