Project lead: Local authorities

• Civil Society Organisation
• Social or health care provider

How collaboration worked: The project is carried out within the framework of the programme of the Ministry of the Family and Social Policy, funded by the Solidarity Fund of the Ministry of the Family and Social Policy. The Municipality – City of Stargard – provided a premises from its housing stock, with an area of over 100 m2, which, after thorough renovation, accommodates 4 places and is fully adapted to the needs of people with disabilities. Those interested in accessing the service are invited to contact the City Social Welfare Centre, which is supervising the project. The implementation in the year 2023 was commissioned through an open call for proposals from a non-governmental organisation: Szczecin Golden Age Association. The funds for the renovation and equipping of the premises, conducted by the Science for the Environment Foundation, came from EU funds – specifically 294,994.900 PLN from the Marshal’s Office as part of the Region of Good Support project. Furthermore, for respite care, including project management in the new flat, a total of 184,524.74 PLN was secured from the Solidarity Fund of the Ministry of Family and Social Policy.

Older people’s involvement: Older people were not directly involved

Has the impact of this age-friendly practice been analysed: No

Do you plan to evaluate your age-friendly practice? Yes

Feedback:
Policy for older persons is one of the main objectives of the Stargard City Strategy 2021-2027. Thanks to the Stargard Mayor’s Advisory Group for Senior Citizens, we are in constant contact with older people and their relatives, so we know how important the issue of respite care is for them. So far, a total of 11 people have benefited from the services. The homely atmosphere and furnishings of the flat are highly appreciated. The individuals staying at the flat feel “at home” there, which makes it easier for them to endure separation from their caregivers.

Expansion plans:
At the moment, we have no plans to expand this project. However, the final decision will be made after an evaluation of the effects of the project.

Challenges:
We are facing two significant challenges at the moment. The first is the necessity to build trust among caregivers using the program itself. We know how much work and time they devote to their loved ones and how difficult it is for them to entrust this care to a stranger. To meet this challenge, we approach the issue of providing care in the flat with integrity and reliability. The competition’s offer is very demanding, and the organisation that gets the chance to implement it must demonstrate not only experience but also a high level of empathy and a warm approach to others. The second challenge we face is to ensure continuity of funding for the project. The costs of maintaining this place are high, but necessary to maintain the quality of the services provided. For 2024, funding of 462,000 PLN has been secured from the Solidarity Fund of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. We also plan to apply for external funding in future years.