Social service providers in Romania
The purpose of developing the current Guide was to disseminate among all social service providers in Romania the practices that have proven successful in providing social services to different categories of beneficiaries and thus to inspire other social service providers, current and future, in implementing methods and practices meant to serve the beneficiaries in the best possible way, contributing to the increase of their quality of life and / or the prevention or elimination of their situation of vulnerability.
Romania is one of the ageing countries in Europe, according to Eurostat data, in 2016, the life expectancy at birth in Romania was 75.3 years, with a gender gap of 7.4 years in favour of women. Romania is at the bottom end of the life expectancy range in EU28, ahead of only Bulgaria, Latvia and Lithuania.
The depopulation of villages and the changing of social values have negative implications on local community
involvement in care provision to older persons in rural areas, too.
The overall score of independent, healthy and secure living domain points to a big gap between Romania and most of the EU member states. Romania scores the second lowest in EU in this domain. The data show that less than 2 per cent of Romanian population 55+ do sports and exercise. Material deprivation is higher in Romania as compared to the EU average, but the gap has narrowed since 2010.
It appears that, after the age of 55, Romanian population stops attending any type of formal education and rarely practice any a type of sport/physical activity.
So, one of the aims of these centres is to improve the quality of life of the elderly by providing quality social services. Also, professional development of employees to ensure quality care, using good practices brought from other countries, but also through exchanges of experience with other Centers for Elderly people in Romania.
The beneficiaries are elderly men a women living in rural areas located in the city of Valea Izvoarelor, Mures County.
Romania scores low on both economic development and the Active Ageing Index as compared to the EU28 average.
However, the gap between Romania and the other member states grew bigger, as almost all the EU countries moved in the same direction, but the average speed was higher than the one in Romania.
It is important that the social service providers to assure for the beneficiaries both basic services and care support services, too.
Basic services: for daily activities are provided in accordance with the individualized plan.
Support services:
According to the description, these activities improve a lot the quality of the life of the beneficiaries.
For the promotion and improvement of the social service for the elderly, it is important the collaboration between other centers, the organization of forums between the management of the centers, openness to new ideas, offering staff development courses, but also offering an extra service for those who work with vulnerable beneficiaries. The mental health of the staff is imperative and extra curricular programs for their recreation are essential – case management workshops, teambuilding, recreational programs and providing mental support is essential. If staff in addition to diplomas of care reach a level of Professionalism, the beneficiaries will benefit from quality care. For them, living in a center is not the last step before the end of life, just a new threshold for another lifestyle.
For the elderly people living in this centre, is not the last step before the end of life, just a new threshold for another lifestyle.
These people feel that they believe somewhere, they are not alone.
We need to disseminate good practices and motivate other institutions to take care of their elderly.
It is really hard to finance support activities for the elderly.
The government accords finance mostly for the basic necessities and the rest is funded through EU projects or from the beneficiaries families.
These support activities can easily be adapted to any other destination: Community, province, municipality, town… country…
We shouldn’t forget about the elderly. They need attention, care, empathy. These support activities should be part of their life on daily basis, not be the exeptions…
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