Editorial: Failures in care for the elderly
While people are living longer thanks to improved living conditions and healthcare, this comes with some risk: that the many challenges faced by the growing number of elderly are not sufficiently addressed. This, in turn, risks the deepening of ageism in the mindset of those responsible for ensuring that older people are treated with respect in preservation of their dignity as human beings. Malta’s public health system provides residential care for the elderly who decide not to use private care services mainly because of their financial insecurity. Outdated ageist stereotypes may lead some policymakers to act as though the elderly do not have as much right to quality of service as the rest of the population. The duty of care to these patients is owned primarily by the senior management of the residential homes and by all the medical and paramedical professionals who work on the coalface of the system. Political leaders have the overall responsibility of ensuring that the management of public care facilities is competent and has the necessary resources to do its work efficiently and effectively. The current dispute between the management of St Vincent De Paul care home and the...