Created by Zaklada Zajednički put
Foundation Zajednički Put is looking for a model to provide the elderly (mainly living in single households) with high quality and personal support for their daily activities and for social companion.
We are looking for the best sustainable model (either based on a transaction fee, or not) that will connect individuals (as helpers) with the elderly in need of companion for daily practical activities (shopping, doctors appointments, bills payment) as well as emotional support. A solution that preferably includes mentoring of the caring process and a preselection process for both parts (helpers and senior citizens).
There are almost 25% of senior citizens in the Republic of Croatia living in single households (758,633 individuals, or 17.7% of the total population), they are in a constant risk of social exclusion, suffering the impacts of loneliness. These people have many needs that they alone cannot satisfy and need help with, whether it be paying the bills, fetching test results at the GP (General Practitioner), going to the bank, or simply having someone to spend a few hours with, socializing, in order to alleviate loneliness. Those living alone are a very vulnerable group of the elderly because they often cannot perform daily tasks, and experience mental stress facing loneliness.
Current existing services and support is provided by local institutions, they can reach only a limited number of senior citizens often related to those institutions but not to a general public and they also have limited resources. This proposed type of social and practical support would boost deinstitutionalisation and ensure that the elderly are able to “age in place”, i.e. stay in their homes for as long as possible, and receive needed help.
There is no service which would satisfy all non-existential needs of the elderly. Furthermore, there is no way of linking the elderly with helpers who would provide them with the help they need. Also, there is no way of assessing both senior citizens and help providers, and making sure that both sides can engage in a meaningful relationship with total trust.
The Foundation “Zajednički put” is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing, advocating for and implementing a decent, quality, safe and active life, adapted to the needs and abilities of each individual senior citizen. The Foundation is based in the city of Zagreb, their track record and serious work have positioned it as the 'go to' organization when is about the elderly support. Many people from this target market contact them when they do not know who to turn to. Over the past few years they have been receiving phone calls with enquiries from, mostly, older people living alone, who shared their emotional and practical needs and sought practical help. With the economic crisis looming over the country for years, many are unable to pay for help, and many simply do not know how to find appropriate help as there are no ways of assessing the individuals applying to offer support to the elderly.
The Foundation has an expert psychologist with 25 years of experience, who has been organizing individual and group counselling for the elderly (psychological counselling for the people seeking it) and several social workers who have contributed to solving the problems the elderly in our community face on a daily basis. Since 2010, there have been around 180 workshops of psychological counselling a year. The Foundation organizes numerous workshops and events which are free of charge for the elderly (on a weekly basis they have creative and educational workshops – English, Spanish, Yoga, Nordic walking, Computers, Smartphones etc. – with the purpose of people learning new skills and socializing).
The Foundation “Zajednički put” would provide access to information, internal and external knowledge as well as connections with potential stakeholders and users for the further development of the proposed solution (i.e. psychologists who volunteer, legal clinic of the Faculty of Law in Zagreb, who provide legal counselling, access to medical staff like a GP's and nurses who come monthly to their Senior Centar or their PR expert that can support with promotion). The Foundation can organize campaigns and call for donations for alternative sources of funding as well as provide access to their extended network and social capital since they are also well connected to various institutions and organizations in Zagreb and Croatia that work with/for the elderly.
The Foundation “Zajednički put” is a non-profit organization dedicated to developing, advocating for and implementing a decent, quality, safe and active life, adapted to the needs and abilities of each individual senior citizen.
