The Department of Welfare points out the critical situation that has arisen in connection with the provision of care home service and long-term social care and social rehabilitation institution service for adults in accordance with the demand and the objective needs of Riga residents.
The solution of the situation requires additional funding. In total, an additional 581,278 euros are needed for 2024, while in 2025, approximately 3.7 million more euros are needed to provide financing for the additional 390 places financed this year and to continue reducing the queue.
The department explains that in the eight months of 2024, 7,308 persons received care home services, including 6,492 adults and 816 children, which is 702 persons or 11% more than in the eight months of 2023.
The number of adults with very low self-care abilities increased significantly. They are persons whose required amount of care is more than 12 hours per week. The number of such persons increased from 3716 persons in eight months of last year to 4238 persons in eight months of this year. The increase is by 522 persons or 14%.
The number of children who receive care services at home also increased by 187 persons or 30%.
The missing funding for the care at home service in 2024 by the end of the year is around 4.9 million euros, and for 2025 – around 7 million euros.
The number of persons in the service line coordinated by the Riga Social Service in September this year was 898, but the average waiting time in the line increased from three months last year to six months this year.
In 2023, up to 1,580 places are provided in contract organizations. Due to insufficient funding, this year the number of places has been reduced to 1,371.
The department also points to other problems.
In order to solve them, it is requested to provide 4.9 million euros for the “care at home” service in the budget amendments, and another 582,000 euros for the provision of services in contractual organizations.
The mentioned questions will be considered by the Social Issues Committee of the Riga City Council on Wednesday, October 9.
2024-10-08 06:09:27