Simina 19, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; // phone:+381 11 30 32 125; fax:+381 11 263 43 48;
      

Home Care Programme


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Law on the Red Cross of Serbia allows the national society to, within the mandate provided by the International Red Cross Movement, and in cooperation with health and social care institutions participate in:

 

  • Improving the quality of life and protection of older people
  • Alleviating the poverty of the most vulnerable older people
  • Sensitising the public as well as older people themselves to the issues of discrimination, neglect and abuse of older people
  • Promoting active ageing and encouraging older people to increase their participation in public life

The goal of the Home Care Programme is to support older persons to remain in their preferred environment by decreasing the need for different means of institutional assistance and motivating older persons in fully using their physical and mental potential. 

program brige o starima

The beneficiaries of the programme are persons over the age of 65, not residing in institutions, older people with a very low level of social security, older households, soup kitchen beneficiaries, older people in need of social welfare assistance not receiving it from any other organisation. There are four activity areas for the Red Cross in this programme:

  • Preventive healthcare activities
  • Household assistance
  • Psychosocial support
  • Activities in clubs for older people

The programme implementation relies on the work of a large number of the Red Cross of Serbia volunteers, most of them older people themselves, for instance: the average volunteer in the programme is a woman over the age of 55. The volunteers are regularly provided with training where they receive skills such as communicating with older people, basics of care as well as advocacy skills and knowledge that allows them to work alongside older people in public communication and advocacy on a number of important topics. 

The programme also encompasses traditional Red Cross of Serbia activities such as “Labour weekend in the countryside” and “Sunny autumn of life”.

These activities target rural areas and are part of our efforts to improve the quality of life of older people living in such areas by having better access to social and health care services. Important components of these initiatives are participation of local communities and development of solidarity which all leads to a better social cohesion. .

Important dates:

  • 15 June: World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
  • 1 October: International Day of Older Persons
  • October: A month dedicated to older people