Support for elderly people 60+

Through the essential support intervention programme for elderly people 60+, Médecins du Monde provides medical and psychosocial support to socially and economically vulnerable older people who, due to restrictive measures to protect public health, have become even more isolated.

The action consists of three main axes:

• Home help with door-to-door visits
• Remote counselling and psychosocial support
• The operation of the Online Companionship program for the elderly

AIMS OF THE PROJECT

• Protection against Covid-19 for 60+ elderly people
• Continuing care through the provision of medical counselling services, especially for people with chronic conditions
• Remote psychosocial support services
• Ensuring drug treatment for the most vulnerable people through home delivery
• Personal empowerment and socialisation through the ‘online companionship’ groups.
• Material assistance and provision of personal protective equipment
• Digital literacy for participants
• Improving housing conditions to an adequate level for the most vulnerable

Health and psychosocial support professionals are available daily from 09:00 to 17:00 for remote counselling and support through new telecommunication media.

The MdM-Greece team consists of a social worker, a doctor, a psychologist and a nurse who carry out door-to-door visits for free pharmaceutical assistance to the elderly through the execution of electronic prescriptions in cooperation and following an appropriate referral from the social services of municipalities, but also remote communication with the beneficiaries for psychosocial support sessions. Also, through the application of the Online Companionship, a group of elderly people coordinate weekly with the psychologist and the pathologist-gerontologist of the project, where they attend presentations and participate in the discussion on issues related to old age.

ONLINE COMPANIONSHIP

As part of the innovations required by the unprecedented situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, Médecins du Monde created the online application “Online Companionship“, through which participants can connect to “virtual” discussion groups, under the guidance of the Médecins du Monde team. The application was created with the main feature of being user-friendly and easy to understand by older people with little to no knowledge of electronic devices. Through the Online Companionship, Médecins du Monde also provides in a simple way the possibility of counselling, through direct connection and video chat and group video call. In this context and for the needs of the project, a tablet-type device is given to each beneficiary person, so that they can connect and communicate with the other members of the team, as well as with the specialized staff of Médecins du Monde.

The content of the thematic meetings, apart from the psycho-emotional aspect, also concerns the awareness of the participants on social issues, such as environmental protection, energy saving, gender equality and new technologies. Already from the first group conversation, it became clear that these people needed to communicate with each other, to comment on current affairs, to exchange thoughts and feelings brought about by the difficult period of compulsory confinement, and to seek advice from the staff of Médecins du Monde. In addition to the group video chat and interaction, each elderly person can have individual counselling sessions with the doctor and psychologist. The application, among other things, provides the possibility of listening to audio books.