Home care services for the elderly

Introduction

It is granted based on Law no. 17/2000 on social assistance for older people, republished, with subsequent amendments and additions, to persons who have reached the retirement age established by law and reside in the Municipality of Targu Mures in order to prevent and overcome situations of difficulty, vulnerability or dependence in order to preserve the autonomy of the elderly. These services include helping with personal hygiene, dressing and undressing, food preparation and feeding, indoor and outdoor travel, shopping, housekeeping, support with paying bills and current obligations, accompaniment and socialization, and leisure activities.

In the case of socio-medically dependent elderly people, beneficiaries of home care services provided by carers, interventions are made daily (5 days a week), for a well-defined duration of time, services able to meet the needs, both quantitatively and qualitatively, according to the socio-medical assessment sheets.

In the case of elderly people with a lower degree of socio-medical dependence (gr. III), the frequency of interventions is based on a programme agreed with the beneficiaries (hourly services), different from case to case, according to the socio-medical assessment forms.

Eligibility criteria

The Social Assistance Department of Targu Mures carries out the assessment for people who meet the following criteria:

• Be of legal retirement age;
• To be domiciled in Târgu Mureș;
• Does not have a family or is not dependent on a person or persons obliged to support him or her under the legal provisions in force;
• They do not earn their own income or it is not sufficient to provide the necessary care;
• They cannot manage themselves or require specialised care;
• Are unable to provide for their socio-medical needs due to illness or physical condition

The duration of home care services is granted to socially and socio-medically dependent elderly people on the basis of the social surveys drawn up, following assessments based on the socio-medical (geriatric) assessment grid, in relation to the time needs and type of services, for an indefinite period (the case is reassessed in relation to its evolution).

Required documents the process of assessing the socio-economic situation of potential beneficiaries

The initial evaluation of the Targu Mures Social Welfare Directorate starts as soon as it exists:

- Application for home care services containing the following data: name, surname, address, telephone number and signature of the applicant and the date of application; 

- Identity card (copy);

- Pension coupon (copy);

- Recommendations and/or assessments of the family doctor/specialist (in copy);

- Medical certificate/medical certificate (copy);

- Other documents (if applicable).

Procedure for entitlement to social services for beneficiaries who apply to the Social Assistance Department of Târgu Mureș

The standard application form, filled in by the potential beneficiary or by his/her representative/family member/other person, as the case may be, in the case of a non-mobile elderly person, shall be submitted to the Social Assistance Department of Târgu Mureș, Gheorghe Doja Street, no. 9, room 8, ground floor (Registry Office) or online by e-mail: registratura.das@tirgumures.ro. 

Applications accompanied by the necessary documents stipulated above, will be taken over by the inspectors of the Elderly Assistance Department.

A team of two social workers will visit the applicant/potential beneficiary's home for an initial assessment.

After the initial assessment, in case of eligibility, the social workers of the Elderly Assistance Department will prepare a social survey, a service plan and a report on the provision of social assistance services, which will be submitted to the Executive Director for approval. 

The Executive Director of the Targu Mures Social Assistance Department will issue a Decision on granting/denying the right to social services; the decision will be given to the beneficiary or, if applicable, to the legal representative/family members, accompanied by the service plan, in original and a copy of the social investigation. The inspectors of the Elderly Care Department, on the basis of the service plan, organise the care and assignment of home carers.

Case monitoring

The situation of the elderly cared for at home is regularly checked according to the schedule set by the inspectors. Monitoring is carried out by visits to the beneficiary's home and telephone conversations which allow information to be obtained on the elderly person's further development and a monitoring sheet is drawn up. This will contain information about the further development of the case and possible recommendations for improving the situation of the elderly person.

By implementing and further developing the home care activity for socio-medically dependent elderly people, the aim is to improve and even enhance their quality of life. Improving and enhancing the lives of socio-medically dependent elderly people by providing home care services has a beneficial effect on their carers (children, relatives), who can thus continue their professional activity and contribute to improving the economic life of the whole community.