State aid sought for elderly day centres

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

Parliament’s Services Committee has unanimously backed a proposal to restore yearly state aid for Bahrain’s 13 day-care centres for older parents and senior citizens.

It calls on the government to instruct the Ministry of Social Development to bring back annual financial support for all day centres caring for older parents and senior citizens.

The proposal was put forward by MP Mohammed Al Olaiwi, who said the loss of funding had left the centres under strain as costs and demand rise.

In written comments to the committee, Social Development Minister Osama Al Alawi said the ministry valued the proposal and the concern it showed for services aimed at older people.

He said the ministry was carrying out a full review of support given to civil society groups to check how far it matched the legal, administrative and financial rules in force.

The review also aims to ensure that support is given fairly and efficiently, and that public funds have the intended social effect, he added.

Mr Al Alawi said the ministry remained keen to work with the legislative authority on steps that serve citizens and help improve social services and keep them sustainable.

Mr Al Olaiwi said the money was needed to keep the centres open and able to offer care, health, family and social services to a group he described as a key part of Bahraini society.

‘This proposal is about the government, through the Ministry of Social Development, restoring the annual financial aid allocated to day-care centres caring for older parents and senior citizens in Bahrain,’ he said.

He said the aid had stopped years ago, although the 13 centres, societies and bodies had carried on giving care, social and humanitarian support to older people.

The centres work through a community partnership model, bringing the government, civil society and the private sector into schemes aimed at long-term social work, he said.

Their work includes care programmes, activities, workshops, family support, health services and social schemes for members.

Mr Al Olaiwi said the centres give older people a place suited to their needs without cutting them off from family and social life by placing them in residential homes.

He said they also help senior citizens remain part of family and community life, while drawing on their experience and past service to the country.