Regional Government reinforces capacity of social responses directed to the elderly in the municipality of Ponta Delgada
The Regional Secretary for Social Solidarity stated in Ponta Delgada that the Government of the Azores has several ongoing investments in order to enhance the coverage of social responses directed to the elderly in this municipality.
Speaking on the sidelines of a visit to the construction site of a Night Centre at Luís Soares de Sousa Home, Andreia Cardoso stressed that, in addition to this work, there another ongoing intervention in the municipality, namely the creation of day and night centre at Bretanha Parish and Social Centre. She added that the "interventions in the villages of Arrifes and Fenais da Luz are expected to start soon."
"Currently, there are 10 construction or redevelopment interventions taking place in infrastructures for the elderly on the islands of São Miguel, Terceira, Pico, Flores, Graciosa and Corvo," said the government official.
"There is still a substantial number of planned interventions that will cover the entire archipelago, providing our islands with specialised and proximity responses to ensure the best possible quality of life to the elderly, preferably with their families and communities," added the government official.
For the Regional Secretary, "these investments are, above all, an investment in social and territorial cohesion" as "we can ensure equal access to these services," an aspect he considered relevant to the healthy development of the various territories that make up the Region.
The construction works of the Night Centre and the redevelopment of Luís Soares de Sousa Home benefit are supported by the Regional Government in the amount of 2.3 million Euros and should be completed by early 2018. It will create another six vacancies that add up to the existing 40. Adapting the response to the needs arising from the increase in the degree of dependence of the elderly population is one of the main concerns of this intervention.
"The concern of the Government is precisely to avoid situations of poverty, exclusion and insecurity that often follow ageing process of people," said Andreia Cardoso.
"This is what we think when we promote and carry out works like this and in many other municipalities in our Region," stressed the Regional Secretary.