Policy Instrument Addressed
Slovenia outlined two actions in the action plan. 1st action “Bringing health services closer to elderly through “Health Kiosk”–new pilot project implemented” and 2nd action is “New projects funded, that focus on elderly and enhance their quality of life, within the Local Action Group the Heart of Slovenia”.
The first action is addressing Operational Programme for the Implementation of the EU Cohesion Policy 2021-2027. The goal of this action is to influence the policy instrument, inspired EU_SHAFE good practice the “Health Kiosk” from Hamburg. Because of the establishment of new government in Slovenia (year 2022 was the year of government elections), the activities planned in action plan were postponed and just started to implement in March 2023.
The second action is addressing Local Development Strategy of LAG (Local Action Group) the Heart of Slovenia - the umbrella policy instrument is the Rural development programme of the Republic of Slovenia 2014-2020. The goal was to encourage local institutions, municipalities, associations, SMEs and other organizations in the Heart of Slovenia area to prepare new project proposals that focus on enhancing the quality of life of elderly to apply to the Local Action Group the Heart of Slovenia’s call. These projects have better chances to be granted because of the policy change. The EU_SHAFE project with its good practices identified inspired the stakeholders from the Heart of Slovenia area. The influence was on the criteria for selecting operations to include vulnerable target groups, who are also elderly. The criteria were increased from 10 points to 15, which gave more chances that projects devoted to the elderly population could be granted. Policy change was already achieved in the 1st phase of the project.
Policy Change Desired
Within Action 1 the goal is that Ministry of Health, that was inspired by the good practice from Hamburg “Health Kiosk”, establish a pilot project inspired to this good practice, which would provide a more efficient model and people, especially elderly and migrants, would have better access to health care and preventive care avoiding, at the same time, an excessive pressure on healthcare professionals. The goal is to prepare everything necessary for the implementation of this pilot project. Because of the establishment of new government in Slovenia (year 2022 was the year of government elections), the activities planned, did not occur till now. The people responsible and the people that agreed to see GP from Hamburg and transfer it, are no longer on the positions or were replaced to another Directorate. In March 2023 the Directorate for health care expressed they wish to attend (8 representatives of different Directorates) the online presentation of GP “Health Kiosk” and one representative will also attend the final event of the project in Bilbao. After the GP presentation the next activities will be outlined.
Within Action 2 the policy change was already achieved in the 1st phase. The most important result is certainly the preparation of a joint project for the elderly "Establishment of a model and services to help the elderly at home - Point for the elderly", which was approved in the Local Action Group (LAG) tender at the end of March 2021. The LAG project was inspired by EU_SHAFE good practice from the Louth County Council “Drogheda and District Support 4 Older People”. This project is now being implemented and monitored by Development Centre of the Heart of Slovenia.
We are particularly proud that in November 2022 three points for Elderly and network of volunteers were established and the project is implementing successfully in three Municipalities Litija, Lukovica and Šmartno pri Litiji.
Territorial Impact
Within Action 1 the Territorial Effect is not reached yet, since the activities were postponed, because of the establishment of new government.
Within Action 2 LAG area covers the territory of 6 municipalities (Litija, Šmartno pri Litiji, Lukovica, Kamnik, Moravče, Dol pri Ljubljani) in Central Slovenia. The two projects granted are implementing in Municipality of Šmartno pri Litiji, Municipality of Litija and Municipality of Lukovica. Till now three points for elderly were established, 16 volunteers already a part of the network and more than 20 people attended the training for volunteers. At least 10 elderly organizations and other are a part of network of key institutions that have initial role in coordinating Points for elderly. Points for elderly offer help and support to the elderly and coordinates the work of volunteers. Older people can ask for advice and help from volunteers who will also be working in the field. They can offer advice, food delivery, help with chores, escorting, teaching how to use a computer, help with filling in forms, etc. Very important part of the project is "Volunteer" app, which is a single platform for receiving requests for help, coordinating and carrying out work.
