Page 125 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, eds. 2018. Zdravje starostnikov ▪︎ Health of the Elderly. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo ▪︎ Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 125
aying admission to residential care through keeping elderly telesna (ne)aktivnost in njen pomen ... | physical (in)activity and its importance ...
residents active for longer- providing active ageing through
a Retirement Village
Charmaine Attard1, Maria Cassar2
1 Hilltop Gardens Malta, Triq L Inkwina, NXR 2040 Naxxar, Malta
2 University of Malta, Faculty of Health Sciences, BKR 015 Msida, Malta
The demographics of many countries across the globe are witnessing the rapid
growth of the respective elderly population. Coupled with this, there is a wid-
ening recognition of the importance of active ageing, keeping individuals living,
as long as possible in one’s own home, whilst aging in place, as opposed to ad-
mission in residential care. Assisted living through sheltered accommodation of-
fers, potentially one favourable avenue towards achieving this. Assisted living
for the elderly was introduced in Malta in 2015, through Hilltop Gardens Re-
tirement Village, built by a private entrepreneur whose main expertise is the
hospitality industry. This retirement village however offered a lifestyle as well
as accommodation to the elderly choosing to reside there. This paper seeks to
present and reflect on managements’ experience regarding:
(i) Securing optimal quality of care delivery to service users/ clients,
(ii) Providing the right environment which is conducive to active ageing
(iii) Adequate assistance to informal carers around the service user/ client.
(iv) Providing the right activities for elderly residents to remain active and so-
cialise.
The challenges and opportunities arising from such experience are discussed in
view of contributing to the development of future same initiatives, locally, and
also in the international context. The implications of keeping the elderly active
through socialisation, physical and psychological activities are discussed and the
impact it has had on the elderly living in the Village.
123
residents active for longer- providing active ageing through
a Retirement Village
Charmaine Attard1, Maria Cassar2
1 Hilltop Gardens Malta, Triq L Inkwina, NXR 2040 Naxxar, Malta
2 University of Malta, Faculty of Health Sciences, BKR 015 Msida, Malta
The demographics of many countries across the globe are witnessing the rapid
growth of the respective elderly population. Coupled with this, there is a wid-
ening recognition of the importance of active ageing, keeping individuals living,
as long as possible in one’s own home, whilst aging in place, as opposed to ad-
mission in residential care. Assisted living through sheltered accommodation of-
fers, potentially one favourable avenue towards achieving this. Assisted living
for the elderly was introduced in Malta in 2015, through Hilltop Gardens Re-
tirement Village, built by a private entrepreneur whose main expertise is the
hospitality industry. This retirement village however offered a lifestyle as well
as accommodation to the elderly choosing to reside there. This paper seeks to
present and reflect on managements’ experience regarding:
(i) Securing optimal quality of care delivery to service users/ clients,
(ii) Providing the right environment which is conducive to active ageing
(iii) Adequate assistance to informal carers around the service user/ client.
(iv) Providing the right activities for elderly residents to remain active and so-
cialise.
The challenges and opportunities arising from such experience are discussed in
view of contributing to the development of future same initiatives, locally, and
also in the international context. The implications of keeping the elderly active
through socialisation, physical and psychological activities are discussed and the
impact it has had on the elderly living in the Village.
123
