In the area of social protection of older persons, Montenegro Red Cross recognizes its role and it is one of the most active partners in this area, due to its mandate, networking and experience with trainings of volunteers and implementation of Home care programme. This programme is being implemented since 2002. In twelve local Red Cross branches (Bar, Budva, Bijelo Polje, Cetinje, Danilovgrad, Herceg Novi, Mojkovac, Nikšić, Pljevlja, Tivat, Plav and Podgorica), as the response to the needs of older, sick persons who live on their own, with the necessity of involvement of new communities in this important activity. Until now, the programme was supported by the International federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies.
Programme beneficiaries, almost thousand of them, are persons above age of 65, who are not institutionalized, older persons with very low level of social security, who do not receive support from any other organizations (criteria are established by the International federation of the Red Cross/Red Crescent Societies, and they are different in different organizations).
According to its content, this programme comprises service delivery depending on the beneficiaries need, and those needs are the following:
- Health protection and preventive (blood pressure control, blood sugar control, escort when leaving for check ups,…)
- Assistance in personal hygiene
- Working therapy – funkcional (movement exercise) and amusing (creative use of beneficiaries’ free time)
- Assistance in providing food (food supply, preparation of hot beverages, preparation of simple meals, food serving,…)
- Assistence in the house (assistence in keeping clothes, shoes, sheets, assistence in hygeine keeping)
- Activities for the social, cultural, recreational, creational and religious needs
- Asistence in the rural area
- Providing expert advices.
