It has been a long time coming – and was not even supported by all parties in parliament. But the Elderly Person Statute has finally been published in state gazette Diário da República, paving the way for a ‘more dignified approach’ to the nation’s old people.
Says Público today, the idea is to “guarantee conditions so that the most elderly people can remain living in their own homes for as long as possible, in decent conditions”. In other words, not be ‘banished to an institution’ where they cannot lead the last stage of their lives as they might wish.
The only question is that the “concrete measures” coming into place as a result of this new statute have still not been explained, says the paper.
This has not stopped multiple commentaries over social media in a country that has had its share of ‘old people horror stories’: accounts of families ‘abusing’ elderly relatives and often leaving them in states of neglect.
The advantage of this statute is that it sets out the duties of the state in the care of elderly people – meaning that if families are not ‘there’ as they should be, the state now has no excuses. This implies “developing public health and social protection policies for the elderly”, ie home-help/ meals on wheels/ psycho-social/ medical support (palliative care, if necessary) and protection against violence and/ or discrimination.
The statute also guarantees rights related to access to health information, medication for those in ‘situations of economic hardship’ and the right to adequate housing ‘without age discrimination’.
It is, in many ways, a statute to ‘bring the elderly’ back into the picture (not leave them out of it).
On that basis, it is curious to understand that of all the parties that ‘approved’ the text for this statute, PCP communists stepped aside (actually voting against). Bloco de Esquerda – also extreme left wing – abstained.
What were their reasons? According to CNN Portugal, PCP communists do not believe the statute will change “urgent problems” (these being low pensions and the high cost of living).
Bloco de Esquerda abstained for similar reasons.
Source material: Público/ CNN
