specific needs of children and elderly left behind as a ... - IOM Moldova

CHAPTER II
beneficiaries we may identify the elderly left behind by labour migrants although
the latter are obliged by code to take care of their parents” (III_EE_7).
Taking into account, the aspect of non-discrimination and de-stigmatization,
the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family makes no
difference between helpless elderly whose children are abroad and those
who don’t have children abroad. “They are equally treated according to their
individual needs. The elderly whose children have left abroad and who are
assessed to be in difficulty are treated as other socially vulnerable people in
difficulty and require certain assistance” (III_EE_7).
At the territorial level the social assistance and family protection department
has a position of a specialist, responsible for disabled elderly,
who is in charge of the implementation of national policies on social assistance
of the elderly in difficulty and assures the enforcement of law at
the local level. The social worker at this level: (i) promotes the interests of
the elderly in difficulty; (ii) works out strategies in the district to support
the elderly in difficulty on the basis of results obtained from the evaluation
of needs identified in the district; (iii) informs the population on
social assistance services designed for the elderly, eligibility requirements,
the procedures to apply for social assistance services, rights and the beneficiaries’
responsibilities; (iv) helps them conclude the documents necessary
for providing social services; (v) develops, consolidates and renders
social services designed for the elderly in difficulty; (vi) refers complex
cases to specialized services or to highly specialized sevices provided at
the national level; (vii) coordinates the activity of specialists and community
social workers who provide social services to the elderly in difficulty
and of the state representatives and non-governmental organizations;
(viii) ensures intervention in case of the elderly in difficulty in accordance
with case management procedures; (ix) assesses the impact of social assistance
services for the elderly in difficulty.
Speaking about the policy on health protection of the elderly it should be
mentioned that it stipulates the guaranteed and non-discriminatory access
to medical care regardless of the material condition of the person.
“Providing medical services to children and elderly is financially covered by
obligatory medical insurance. All children, regardless of their family situation,
as well as the elderly, receive the necessary medical care. The concern for
the health of children and for the elderly is mentioned among the priorities of
National Health Policy” (III_EC_4).
Taking into account the mission to continuously keep and improve people’s
health condition by ensuring equal access to quality and cost-effective
health services through the promotion of interventions to prevent, protect
and promote health, the Ministry of Health, namely, the Department of
Health Care Policy for Women, Children and Vulnerable Groups par-
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