The conference, organized by Project LLI-341 Aging in Comfort, aimed to discuss the situation and future development of social home care services in Latvia and Lithuania, taking into account the interests and needs of older people in the cross-border region. Representatives of municipalities, social care providers and non-governmental organizations involved in the project, both from Latvia and Lithuania, involved in the provision of social services at home and working with older people on a daily basis were invited to the conference.

The conference took place on September 26, 2019 in Latgale Embassy GORS in Rezekne with participatio of 50 participants. The event was organized in three parts, beginning with the opening of the partners’ newly-acquired specialty vehicles at the GORS Square. The cars will be used to provide home care services.

 

In the “listening” section, discussions on home care and related issues were divided into 2 talk sessions – Home Care Services and Self-Help. During the sessions, the organization of home care services in Latvia and Lithuania was discussed with invited specialists, with the examples of Rezekne District in Latvia and Utena District in Lithuania.

Viesturs Kleinbergs, Head of the “Samaritan Support at Home” service of the Latvian Samaritan Association, spoke about the development of home care in the regions from 2014 to 2019. He noted that there are still districts in Latvia that do not provide any funding for home care from municipal resources, although there is a general tendency for the senior and general demand for this service to increase. It is natural that the highest concentration of elderly people is in regions, because seniors want to grow old at home and refuse to move to a city where social services are more accessible.

 

During the conference session on self-help measures for seniors, Rafael Ciekurs, a lecturer at the P.Stradins Medical College of the University of Latvia, NM assistant, presenter of the Latvian radio program Vesels 5 shared his experience with the daily work of an ambulance worker. Personal growth trainer Ieva Elvīra Garjāne inspired inspiration to review her inner resources for self-motivation and collaboration, while Aivars Kaupužs, a physiotherapist, Nordic walking and exercise instructor, encouraged everyone to maintain daily physical activity and spoke about physical activity for self-care.

 

L.Upeniece
Project coordinator