New era in social care for the elderly
The EC-funded CARMA project focused on the social care provided to the elderly across European states, in an effort to ultimately improve and safeguard the well-being of the aged. The overall aim is to avoid the marginalisation of the aged through a comprehensive review of the current state-of-the-art in social care and the involvement of all stakeholders in the process. Project partner, South and East Belfast Health and Social Services Trust concentrated on the situation in Northern Ireland. Their studies showed that emphasis should be placed on community care services, given that the elderly prefer to remain domiciled within their community. The financial strain on the system is significant in both community services and also the central authorities. As it turns out, costs are also a crucial factor for the elderly themselves. In fact, it was shown that financial problems were a major contributing factor to the marginalisation of the elderly. It is therefore important to strike a balance between the financial viability of the entire care system, the extent of financial allowances given to the elderly and the financial packages offered to the carers. Overall, the reports compiled within the framework of the CARMA project could pave the way for a new era of social care for the elderly, taking into account a number of elements and factors.
