In partnership with Volkshilfe Solidaritaet, the Novi Sad Humanitarian Center implements the project “MoBUC – Outreach Care and Support in the Fight Against COVID-19 for the Elderly in Rural Southern Serbia”.
The project is being implemented in the period from September 1, 2021. to February 28, 2023 and is supported by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection and Volkshilfe Solidaritaet.
The overall goal of the project is to contribute to reducing the social and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact of poverty on the elderly in isolated rural areas of southern Serbia. During the project, NSHC’s field team will improve the conditions for independent and dignified life of the elderly in the mountain villages of Vladicin Han municipality, and contribute to increasing local capacities for social protection and care for the most vulnerable elderly people. The project also contributes to improving local employment opportunities for women.
Home care and help at home services are provided daily to 170 people over the age of 65, in remote villages of Vladicin Han municipality: Bogosevo, Vrbovo, Garinje, Kopitarce, Jovac, Balinovce, Belanovce, Gornje Jabukovo, Dekutince, Rdovo, Letovište, Mazarać, Manjak , Priboj, Jastrebac, Mrtvica and Polom. They are being regularly visited by the home carers at least once a week, and provided with services tailored to the needs of each elderly person.
The project services are intended for people who need the help of another person due to age, low income, limited mobility, disability, the impact of COVID-19 and other reasons that require the help of another person. Priority is given to those who live in single or two-member households, without family support, in an isolated environment (difficult to reach), and who are facing barriers in accessing health care and social services.
Services include assistance in maintaining room hygiene, providing heating, purchasing groceries and medicines, paying bills and performing other chores outside the home, assistance in maintaining and improving the mobility of the elderly, assistance in maintaining personal hygiene, preparing meals, as well as psycho social support, conversation and socializing.
One medical doctor and one social worker are engaged in the field team, in order to provide professional information, counseling and referral services to institutions, if necessary.
During the project, two guides on providing help to the elderly at home will be translated from German and published. The Austrian organization Volkshilfe provided them for translation and distribution in Serbia, in order to help those who care for an elderly household member with expert advice on how to care for the elderly. One guide is dedicated to the topic of dementia and caring for people with dementia.