Lithuanian Innovation Centre organized the 2nd Lithuanian HoCare stakeholders meeting on 31st August 2017 in Vilnius. 20 representatives from all stakeholder groups – government and municipal institutions, NGOs and business were brought together in order to give inputs for Action plan preparation and to discuss how to involve business sector in improving quality and accessibility of homecare services.
A welcoming word was given by a Vice-minister of the Social Security and Labour Mr. Eitvydas Bingelis, who expressed encouragement for such meeting and initiated dialogue to raise problems concerning homecare sector. It was said, that due to demographic changes (declining birth rates, aging society, increasing emigration), Lithuania is already in the group of long-term structural crisis states. The Government's program and its implementation plan contains measures that could mitigate or even substantially change the current situation. One of the main tasks of the Ministry of Social Security and Labours is to create the system of integrated services for older people. In order to implement foreseen measures effectively, it is necessary to involve both business and non-governmental organizations in solving social problems. Vice-minister welcomed all participants inviting for constructive dialogue.
As the vice-minister mentioned in his welcome speech, two main challenges are waiting to be solved in the nearest future: first of all, it is neccesary to strengthen capacities of organizations providing homecare services and, secondly, to secure the quality of services provided. As each municipality is responsible for homecare services, the effectiveness of the services depends on good relationships between municipality and other actors.
The moderator of the discussion was Mr. Edgaras Leichteris, expert of Lithuanian Innovation Centre, who inivited each stakeholder to present himself and to highlight the problem from their point of view. Mrs. Henrika Vainienė, director of Lithuanian Disability Forum, indicated various problems related to municipal services, f.e. difficulties by identifying the needs to provide homecare services, legal regulations of various aspects of homecare services, etc. Mrs. Asta Peciuliene, representative of Vilnius social support centre, pointed our other problem, related to human resourses and their qualitfication. It was mentioned that homecare services requires both professional and human competencies.
Mr. E. Leichteris presented good practices from “HoCare” project and possible solutions of the problems mentioned above. He also expressed a hope that a multi-stakeholder group like this will work together in attempt to improve the existing political measures and instruments directed at the promotion of the aging population and Home Care solutions and all recomendations as well as problems raised are an important input into Action plan for innovative Home Care solutions preparation.
