Latvian-Lithuanian cross-border cooperation programme “Aging in Comfort” concluded with the conference

The project “Social Inclusion of elderly People, Aging in Comfort” of Latvia-Lithuania started in spring 2018. It aims at improving the quality of social services, especially for older people. On September 26, Rēzekne, the Latgale Embassy “Gore”, took place at the closing conference of the project, during which the project partners looked back at the progress.
The conference began untraditionally - a concert hall in the courtyard, where the project benefits - new buses - were presented by the social services of Rezekne municipality and Daugavpils municipality, as well as the social centre of Utena district (Lithuania). With these equipped bushes, social workers and carers are already going to the old and lonely people in the outermost regions of the municipality, where they provide a wide variety of help - showers, laundry, foot-care services, washing the floor, even bring drinking water, because, as the head of the municipality of Daugavpils municipality, Anna Jegorova, has said, much of this year is dry and the old people consume the crushed rain water. A driver, social worker and social carer are active in the mobile team.
The participants of the conference met the experience of Lithuanian social workers, listened to the leader of the Latvian samarian association Viesturu Kleinbergs. Rafael Cieka, the head of the medical college of Stradins University, and an ambulance service employee, Rafael Cieko, who is also the head of the Latvian Radio programme “healthy 5”. It was also possible to perform physically under the direction of the leading researcher of the Rēzekne Technology Academy, Docenta Aivars Kaupuja.
“Europe is ageing rapidly, including Latvia and Lithuania. This problem is very topical. Before the project we compiled statistics and it proved very similar – IN both Latvian and Lithuanian municipalities 30% of the population is aged over 60. Then we have to think about the solutions to do. One of these is an active ageing population, looking for models, how we can actively grow,” - “Euroregion Lakes Land” project manager Lila Vilmane.
The event took place in Interreg V-A Latvia - Lithuania's 2014-2020 project “Senior Social Inclusion” (No. LLI - 341) or Aging in Comfort (translk. - old-day comfort), in which since May 2018 the municipality of Rezekne is taking part in co-operation with the association Euroregion “Lakes Land”, Rēzekne City Council, Daugavpils and Ilūkstes municipality municipalities, as well as Utenas and Molt district local governments from Lithuania.
For reference:
Program website www.latlit.eu
Official EU website www.europa.eu
Project co-financing from the European Regional Development Fund is EUR 381 674.80
The content of this publication is fully the responsibility of the municipality of Rēzekne and is in no circumstances considered to be the official position of the European Union.