The Government Counselor-Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Didier Gamerdinger presented to the press the national plan to support the ageing and care of dependence in the Principality. In the presence of Alexandre Bordero, Director of Action Sanitaire, Sévérine Canis-Froidefond, Director of Foresight, Urban Planning and Mobility, Benoîte de Sevelinges, Director of the CHPG, Professor Alain Pesce, Head of the Department of Clinical Gerontology Center Rainier III and Ludmilla Raconnat-Le-Goff, Secretary General of the Department of Social Affairs and Health. The Principality of Monaco has always made the quality of life of its elders a priority.
Regarding the home-based care, which now concerns 600 seniors, the Department of Social Affairs and Health is constantly working to raise the level of quality of the service so that the home care continues to improve and be positively felt by the beneficiaries and their families. The Town Hall received great emphasis for their role.
For example, efforts to upgrade the rates of self-help benefits. Agreement with the companies providing personal services. And the issue of the Sovereign Ordinance making compulsory possession of authorization for these companies.
At the same time, a procedure for reporting adverse events has been implemented by the Health Action Directorate. And the debate continues on solutions connected to the homes of the elderly.
Finally, a think tank was set up with all the professionals concerned. To improve the link between the city and the hospital further to avoid successive readmissions that lead to a loss of autonomy.
Concerning institutional dependency, it was recalled that the average age of reception in institutions is 87 years and that the Principality currently has 342 places in institutions for dependent older people.
It is, therefore, a matter of implementing the most appropriate responses for each situation for the years to come. It was recalled that the ongoing work on the Résidences du Cap Fleuri and the Hector Otto Foundation located in the Exotic Garden would bring 150 additional places in the short term, i.e. 492 places in total, thus making it possible to meet needs up to 2024/2025.
Mr. Gamerdinger has announced the establishment of a new Accommodation Facility for Dependent Older people on the outskirts of Boulevard du Larvotto. Two other structures will then be necessary to meet the needs of the resident population: it will be necessary to consider locating them on the lands liberated by the influence of the current CHPG and in the city.
The sustained growth of the needs of EHPAD in the years to come has led the Prince’s Government, the guarantor of the balance of access to social rights in the Principality, to decide, in consultation with the National Council, to raise the condition of prior residence in Monaco, by reserving Monegasque public institutions to people who have shared a significant enough time of their existence with the Principality, ie 30 years, against the 5 years necessary so far.
Didier Gamerdinger wished to make it clear that: “These actions are part of the high-level objective that the Principality has set itself. The Prince’s Government implements the necessary means to preserve the excellence and solidarity dimension of our social model.”