The construction works of the six social infrastructures will be open, started or put out to public tender on the island of Terceira in the month of August. These projects represent a governmental investment of nearly 10 million Euros.

The information was provided by the Vice-President of the Government on Friday morning during the opening ceremony of the renewal and improvement works of building of the D. Pedro V Elderly Home in Praia da Vitória.

According to Sérgio Ávila, the Regional Government intends to maintain these support measures in the archipelago and even reinforce them within its reach, despite the external situation that has determined the reduction of support to families and private social solidarity institutions nationwide.

In order to purse a policy that awards priority status to the social support for families, particularly for the elderly, the Region relies on "the balance of our public finances," stated the government official.

Sérgio Ávila also recalled that the Azores have managed to double the number of facilities and social services available to the elderly over the past 15 years, including homes, day centres and occupational activity centres.

In addition to other support measures, such as the case of medicine and pension supplements, the network of social infrastructures provides the elderly in the Region with "different and better" conditions than those they had a few years ago.

Regarding the works opened on Friday, a 1.6 million Euro investment, Sérgio Ávila said that they will increase the home's capacity for another 22 users.

According to the Vice-President of the Government, the next stage of the project, which is already being worked out between Social Security and the institution, will comprise the renewal works of the oldest part of the elderly home building. The works have an estimated budget of 1.2 million Euros.