Development of the structures of home care in B&H, Serbia&Montenegro 2007-2010

Partners: Bundesministerium für Wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ) and Deutscher Caritas Verband (DCV).

Beneficiaries: The project has 470 permanent and 139 temporary users that are elderly and/or ill persons of poor financial ability that do not have closer relatives and need care.

Duration of the project: 3 years, 2007-2010

Project goals: Development of structures of home care of elderly and ill persons in B&H and Serbia with the aim of improvement of health and life situation of this category of population and integration of the achievement of the project in the system of the health and social care through:

• Promotion of awareness on needs of elderly and ill persons
• Provision of necessary services of care and social support to those in need
• Activation of capacities of persons, supporting their independence and recruitment of volunteers;
• Counseling, information and instructions and relief from burden and support to family members that provide care
• Giving examples to families, municipalities and society and promotion of equality of users through supporting self-support and social solidarity;

Form of action: Regular provision of medical care services to the defined group of users by experts and assistance in homes by housewives volunteers; maintenance of education of project staff, family members, users and volunteers, cooperation with governmental institutions in the field of social and health care;

Total project value: 880.123,50 KM / 450.000 €

Report for 2008

The project of development of the home care structures in B&H and SCG 2007-2010 is financed by the German Government and the German Caritas and it represents the second phase of the 9-year program of development of the home care structure.

The project is being conducted on the entire territory of B&H through diocesan Caritas organizations (Banja Luka, Sarajevo and Mostar – Duvno and Trebinje – Mrkan) and five locations: Teslić, Brod, Sarajevo, Banja Luka and Mostar. The project employs 15 persons: 10 home care providers (medical nurses, caretakers, housekeepers) 4 coordinators and 1 financial officer. Beside regular services of home care during 2008, the following activities were conducted:

Education of staff on national and diocesan level

• Banja Luka, 20.02.2008- Caritas Banja Luka, meeting with potential volunteers
• Banja Luka, 14.03.2008- Caritas Banja Luka, trainings for volunteers in the work with beneficiaries
• Banja Luka, March 2008- Caritas Banja Luka, theoretical and practical education for caretakers
• Bled, 25.04. – 27.04.2008- Help Age International, Regional meeting of NGOs that are working with elderly
• Banja Luka, 27.- 28.06.2008- Caritas Banja Luka, “Burn out”
• Sarajevo, 14. - 15. 04. 2008 – Caritas BK BIH, professional education training held for the project staff. The training was designed and delivered by Mrs. Ingeburg Barden, expert in home care from DCV.
• Sarajevo, 16. - 18. 04. 2008 – Caritas BK BIH, preparation for the coming evaluation workshop held by Mrs. Ingeburg Barden, DCV expert in home care.
• Belgrade, 04.-06. 2008 - Caritas Europe, the second Home Care Forum titled: “Home Care, who cares, Caritas care!” together with the National Coordinator. A representative of the Ministry of Civil Affairs - health sector participated in the event.
• Mostar, 17-18.10. 2008 – Caritas BK BIH, workshop for project volunteers was organized and held in Mostar centre Emaus. The workshop was financially supported by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH.
• Banja Luka, 10.09.2008 - the Project Coordinator and the nurse participated in the meeting organized by the Centre for Social Work Banja Luka in order to research a present community needs in a form of the document titled: “Social card of Banja Luka City”.
• Banja Luka, 30.09.2008 - on the International Elderly Day the Project Coordinator participated in the “Tea-party” organized by the Centre for Social Work Banja Luka. The purpose of the party was to provide opportunity to exchange experiences between beneficiaries and services providers.
• September 2008 –May 2009 – staff participation on the continuous workshops on non-violent conflict resolution organized by Pax Christi- office Derventa
• September- December 2008: diocesan Coordinator participated in the project: “Elderly – burden or useful resource” which was a set of workshops organized by local NVO “House of open hearth”.

Volunteer actions

• 19-23. December 2008 – Banja Luka, Christmas action of bringing cookies and gifts to beneficiaries from our volunteers.

Coordination meetings

• 03.-07.03.2008- Banja Luka, Sarajevo, Mostar- Mr. Gernot Krauss paid regular visit to the diocesan Home Care stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mr. Krauss met all diocesan Office Directors and Coordinators as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Civil Affairs and German Embassy. He emphasized importance of the support of local governments to the integrated long-term care model that Caritas is implementing through their legislation and financial frameworks of the government institutions.
• Sarajevo, 01.04.2008 - Project Coordinators meeting

Other

• Additional funds for volunteers engagement on the project ensured
• Project application to Caritas Slovakia for additional founds submitted
• 6-10. October 2008. – external evaluation of the project undertaken by consulting company MAP savjetovanja.
• 13. November 2008 – project application sent to ERSTE Integration Award Competition

Cooperation with the governmental and other institutions
Although, because of the administrative organization of the state, very slow, the cooperation with governmental institutions is still reaching progress. Relevant institutions were familiarized with the project with moral support while there were no major improvements in segment of co-financing or integration of home care in the health care system. Caritas BK BIH was awarded with 10.000 KM from the Ministry of Civil Affairs that was used for purchase of a small medical material and workshops for volunteers. Caritas Banja Luka has a good cooperation with the Centre of Social Care Banja Luka with realization of partial co – financing for 10 beneficiaries in the amount of 2,97 KM In 2008, Caritas Mostar received 18.000 KM donations from different government institutions.
A very good cooperation for recruitment of volunteers was realized with the church and parishes, Office of youth pastoral/Youth Pastoral Office and Catholic theology school. Through the action Week of solidarity with Church and Croats in B&H and due to results achieved, the project received 61.000 KM Project collaborates with a great deal of NGOs active in the field of solving the issues of elderly and ill persons.

Achieved results in 2008

• 470 permanent and 139 temporary beneficiaries regularly received the service of home care;
• 13.902 visits and 68.474 services provided
• 4 education events for project staff and volunteers held
• 17 volunteers worked on the project for 605 hours
• 3 volunteer actions organized
• External evaluation of the project undertaken
• Participation to the CE Home Care Forum in Belgrade together with representatives of Ministry of Civil Affairs
• 38.000 KM ensured from the government institutions for the project continuation

Plans for the next year
In 2009, the project of home care continues with providing services on current 5 locations. There are educations planned for the project staff and volunteers. Focus of the project will be on intensified cooperation with the government institutions and co-financing as well as mobilization and deployment of volunteers in the field.