Extending facilities for the older generation

Leo Olivero

Health and social care for older adults are essential parts of our welfare policy.
Our elders are an important entity they are the missing jigsaw puzzle piece of the ‘modern society’ and of the ‘family’ as they are the concrete moral, financial, emotional, skillful and experienced supporters in the modern world of secularisation.

Our elders as far as I am concerned have stopped us from falling into darkness!

The latter said, I have to say I was not impressed with the recent election manifesto commitments from any of the political parties bar-one may be, regarding our senior citizens:

The ‘Together Gibraltar’...

do not even give them a mention in the manifesto as far as I can read. Senior citizens, the elderly, pensioners call them what you like they are our living historical assets which the TG Manifesto could have written a few serious lines and least committed themselves to offering them something if they had made it into office. Just as well for our seniors they didn’t get to No 6. Although the TG may have been happy with the work done in the last 8 year’s by the GSLP/Liberal party?

The GSD...

Unlike the TG book of political pre-election promises the GSD did have a specific section on ‘Pensioners and the Elderly’ but nothing really that would make any senior citizen miss a heartbeat or get excited about. In fact it was poor and prepared with little thought and having a knowledgeable or being conversant with the needs and requirement of our aged citizens.

The GSLP/Liberals...

To their credit made a readable effort to cover a good number of related areas, already completed or still on going, where the Alliance have fared well.

Importantly, the Alliance made a manifesto pledge, that they are “unswervingly committed to continue to improve the services for vulnerable adults within the community and that designs must always have the best interest of residents at heart.”

The manifesto also reassures everyone that the care for vulnerable people in the community will continue to be a top political party priority. Which was rather an open invisible commitment with a play of words, which cannot be considered as solid manifesto pledge for anything. But the good intentions are there. Although I was glad to read that training is highlighted and afforded the importance it deserves and has in practice!

Generally, I would also have liked to have seen the promise and a solid commitment from any of the parties of a design and construction of another ‘Mount Alvernia’ type facility.

1-11-2019 PANORAMAdailyGIBRALTAR