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James Debono
Joseph Farrugia had to leave work to take care of his 71-year-old mother Imelda, who suffers from dementia, the progressive disease resulting in memory loss.
But now Farrugia has woken up to the reality that she is not even entitled to a carer’s pension, because the law states that only carers of bedridden or wheelchair-bound relatives are eligible for this social benefit.
That was the decision taken by a social security arbitrator on 20 November this year, who declared that although Imelda Farrugia suffers from dementia and needs continuous attention, “she is not constrained to live in a bed or a wheelchair as required by the law.”
The law only allows the benefit to single, or widowed Maltese citizens who are taking care on a full-time basis of a bedridden or wheelchair bound relative, which automatically excludes those caring for dementia patients.
Dementia is a progressive decline in brain functions like memory, problem solving and attention. In its later stages, affected persons may have problems knowing what day of the week, day of the month, what month or even what year it is. Some even end up not knowing where they are who they are.
“My mother already has problems remembering whether she has switched the cooker or not. She does not even remember which pills she has taken,” Farrugia told MaltaToday.
He said he is also finding great difficulty to make ends meet especially since his mother spends most of her pension on medicines. A medical certificate from a consultant geriatrician in Zammit Clapp hospital states that Imelda Farrugia requires increased supervision as she is experiencing difficulties caring for herself at home. It also states that her cognitive functions are deteriorating.
A spokesperson for the family and social solidarity ministry however said that as from early next year Farrugia will be able benefit from social assistance following recent amendments to the Social Security Act which extended this benefit to include men.
Social assistance is granted to single or widowed persons caring for the mentally or physically infirm but who are not wheelchair bound or bedridden.
Until recently, only women were eligible for social assistance.
A carers pension amounts to Lm37.14 every week and a six-monthly bonus of Lm58, while a recipient of social assistance only receives Lm27 a week apart from the bonus.
A ministerial working group has now been set up to examine and overhaul the Social Security Act, enacted at a time when diseases like dementia were not even taken in to account. A ministry spokesperson said the group is looking at all the benefits in order to streamline and harmonise them “so as to truly reflect the realities and needs of Maltese society nowadays.”
jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt
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