The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity said today in Angra do Heroísmo that the Azorean Government is committed to "improving the quality of life" of the elderly and their families. The government official recalled the reinforcement of the Regional Pension Supplement by two percent, as recently announced by the President of the Government, which will represent an overall support of 25 million Euros in 2014.

Speaking at the opening of the meeting on "Active Ageing and Solidarity between Generations," Piedade Lalanda stressed the public investment in the renewal of houses and the access to the network of support equipments across the archipelago such as elderly homes, social centres, day and night centres. The "widespread of home support services," which allows the elderly to stay in their homes, and the initiatives to reduce isolation were other measures mentioned by the Regional Secretary.

In her speech, Piedade Lalanda also emphasised the Government's incentive and support to several initiatives intended "to promote the mobility of the elderly" by providing transport services to "various social solidarity institutions." Furthermore, the government official mentioned the creation of an inter-island senior tourism programme (60+) and the recent transformation of "mobile library vans into privileged communication spaces for the elderly"; the latter began on the island of São Jorge and will soon be extended to the islands of Flores and Pico."

Piedade Lalanda also considered the "importance of encouraging intergenerational interaction by optimising the infrastructures that encompass day centres and Free Time Occupation Centres or day nurseries.

"It is not enough to build these infrastructures side by side; it is essential to promote the interaction between generations on a regular basis, instilling the values of sharing and cooperation," stated the government official.

For the Regional Secretary, these initiatives "clearly reveal that the measures developed in the Region over the last years have contributed to the well-being of the elderly."