Are you kidding me? I have been reading this article on Greek daily Ethnos reporting that the social care “Help at Home” for seniors will be provided only for seniors with jobless relatives. The program originally carried out through European Union funds currently takes care of more than 90,000 Greek seniors. However new regulations proclaim that only seniors with jobless children, grandchildren or other relatives will be able to enjoy the social service from now on. In Greece the Help at Home programm was introduced in 1992 with EU fundings, laster the costs were provided by the central national govenrment and distributed via the municipalities
The new regulations arrived from European Union in Brussels and cannot be subject to modifications, claimed several Greek municipalities that carry the costs of the program. The mayors described the new guidelines as ‘antisocial’ and say that “the new conditions will leave thousands of elderly without social service”. The program covers the daily needs of 90,000 Greeks and should the new regulations apply only 30,000-33,000 will be beneficial. The applicatins must be submitted by the jobless relatives.
The funding per person is 1,200 euro per year.
I am just wondering if not somebody misread, misinterpreted or just misleading the public. I know that in Germany, for example., seniors with children or relatives would benefit from certain social services only if the latter were unemployed or threatened by unemployment. Something logical for a state on a stage of cutting spending. But lonely seniors without family members to be excluded from social services? It doesn’t make any sense at all…
I just don’t dare to say the news to the old and lonesome neighbor of mine. She has regularly the people from “Help at Home” checking for her, do her shopping, give her injections, take her to the doc, help out with the household, enjoy a cup of coffee and a chat together.
