Minister of Gender and Family Shidhatha Shareef announces plans to develop retirement homes or old age homes for the needs of old and retired people.
Speaking on a programme aired on PSM News, Minister Shidhatha said the facilities will be developed in the Male' region and in the south of the country. However, she did not disclose the specific islands the facilities were to be developed.
The Strategic Action Plan (SAP) recently launched by the administration also includes the development of at least one residential home to be developed by 2023 under public private partnership.
The gender minister said the administration is seeking to establish centres for old age even now. The centres would be equipped with facilities to carry out work that benefits the society. The services available at the centres in Maldives would also be parallel and follow standards of other centres elsewhere.
The minister further explained the centres would benefit the working population as they would also function as day-cares for the old age. She added efforts to train individuals for the centres are currently underway.
The administration has acknowledged it is unable to deliver the best of services at the centre in Guraidhoo developed for old age with special assistance due to limited facilities and resources. The ministry receives about 70 cases yearly of neglected old age while the number is on the increase every year. The ministry stated it is putting an important effort on running awareness programmes due to an increase in domestic violence and parent neglect.