On September 4, President Andrzej Duda solemnly signed the law on special geriatric care. It defines the goals, organization and functioning of specific forms of elderly care for people over 75 years of age.
The new solutions aim to transform geriatrics to an environmental approach, providing medical services close to the senior’s place of residence. The new treatment centers will enable the more than 75 health centers to provide a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment of elderly patients.
Special geriatric care is – as specified in the law – provided in the geriatric departments of hospitals, in 75+ health centers and in primary health care.
The law, which was initiated by the president, specified in detail the objectives of the geriatric care created. Among them, eg maintaining the greatest possible functional efficiency and independence of seniors; the provision of healthcare services specified by law; planning and coordinating care, ensuring preventive and health promotion activities, and providing psychological support.
The basis for the operation of special geriatric care facilities in the Voivodeship will be a plan prepared by the Voivodeship and approved by the Minister of Health.
To ensure the right quality of service, the law specifies the minimum standards for the total number of beds in geriatric wards and the standards for the minimum and maximum number of people living in the operating area of the center.
Against the challenges
Today in Poland there are 2.7 million people aged 75 or older, which is 7 percent. citizens, especially women. There will be more, no doubt about that
– said President Andrzej Duda during the signing ceremony of the law on special geriatric care.
On September 4, President Andrzej Duda signed the Special Geriatric Care Act. The ceremony at the Medical Center for Postgraduate Education in Warsaw was also attended by Health Minister Katarzyna Sójka, the management of the President’s Chancellery and CMKP.
He recalled that the history of the preparation of this law began with a meeting in the Presidential Palace with Prof. Ewa Marcinowska-Suchowierska and Minister Marek Balicki.
It was then that I first heard from them about the very urgent need to create a special regulation, on the basis of which it will be possible to establish a geriatric care network in Poland.
he explained.
Today (…) there are 2.7 million people aged 75 and over in Poland, which amounts to 7 percent. citizens, especially women. They will come (…). Experts estimate that this will be about 14 percent by 2040. citizens, and in 2050 – 16.5 percent. citizens
Duda explained.
He stressed that when it comes to the development of geriatric care today, a systemic solution needs to be implemented.
He pointed out that until now there was not enough special geriatric care in Poland.
There are only 64 geriatric wards in the whole country. (…) This is certainly not the number of departments that would be sufficient to provide complete geriatric care
– added.
The president explained that it’s not just about having geriatric wards in hospitals.
We would like this 24-hour care to take place as little as possible. To make it as small as possible, we need a program that guides seniors through a healthy life
he explained.
He pointed out that this is where the idea of creating more than 75 health centers came from. As he explained, it will include geriatric care coordinators and consultants.
On the one hand it will be possible to obtain care, but on the other hand advice and rehabilitation
he explained.
The president expressed the hope that more than 300 such centers will be established in Poland in the first few years under the law.
new quality
The law on special geriatric care will introduce a new quality in Polish healthcare. It will help people who reach the senior age to stay with us as long as possible, President Andrzej Duda said on September 4.
He expressed the hope that within a few years it would be possible to lower the age limit set by law.
On September 4, President Andrzej Duda signed the Special Geriatric Care Act. It defines the goals, organization and functioning of specific forms of elderly care for people over 75 years of age.
The president admitted that work on the bill took a long time because it required extensive discussion.
We went one way, we stopped, sometimes we had to take a few steps back and introduce other solutions. We wanted the system to evolve gradually,” he said.
He recalled that a wide debate was caused by the fact that the provisions of the law also cover people who have reached the age of 75.
There have been many objections about why over 75, why not over 65. We said don’t worry, you have to see how the system will work. It’s not about suddenly throwing yourself into a big task where the number of people who would be subject to the system runs into the millions – and this would be the case if we had more than 65 centres, which are today more than 9 million potential patients. So that would be a very large range
he assessed.
He explained that fewer than 3 million citizens are now over 75.
We can start at this level so that these centers can function. We hope that within a few years it will be possible to lower this limit
he noticed.
He added that this has happened in the case of free medicines for seniors, where the age limit was lowered from 75 to 65.
After analyzing the operation of this program, it turned out to be possible, after additional analyzes and calculations, it turned out to be real
Duda said.
As he has determined, this law will introduce a new quality in Polish healthcare.
This will be a completely new element that will actually help people of old age to stay with us for as long as possible
he stressed.
Comprehensive approach
Today we are completing a complete, comprehensive approach to aged care
– said Health Minister Katarzyna Sójka during the ceremonial signing of the law on special geriatric care by President Andrzej Duda.
On September 4, President Andrzej Duda solemnly signed the law on special geriatric care. It defines the goals, organization and functioning of specific forms of elderly care for people over 75 years of age.
Today we are completing a full, comprehensive approach to elderly care with another outstanding geriatric care project
– said Health Minister Katarzyna Sójka.
I often say that we learn knowledge from books, while we learn wisdom and life from people a little older than us
she added.
Today, this project is designed to provide comprehensive care, support and support that will create a sense of security for the elderly and their families.
– she noted.
In the opinion of the Minister of Health, the signing of the Special Geriatric Care Act “is another step that will create better local accessibility and involvement of the community to ensure that this care is coordinated as well as possible, is interdisciplinary and impacts has for all aspects that are necessary for seniors, for the elderly, who must be taken care of in full complexity”.
The projects I mentioned – medicines available for free to the over 65s and the project signed today, more than 75 centers with the hope of expanding this program, are an excellent proposal to create safety, to create comprehensive care.
she added.
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Source: wPolityce