The story of an 81-year-old woman who is bedridden, requires respiratory support, and is facing serious financial difficulties.
According to a report aired on the Alpha Eνημέρωση program, the woman lives on Turkish Cypriot-owned property, under deplorable conditions and without access to social benefits because she receives a widow’s pension of 914 euros. And as if all that weren’t enough, she is not eligible for the 0.8 discount and is required to pay 709 euros to settle her electricity bill.
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Based on her total income, it was determined that the 81-year-old does not meet the criteria for the low-pensioner allowance, that she is not eligible for the special rate, and that she cannot receive home care. At the same time, the woman is required to pay 526 euros for the in-home assistance she receives.
The home where she lives is registered in the name of her late husband and, as can be seen in the photos, is in deplorable condition. And while the TV program “Alpha News” highlighted the issue and brought it to the attention of the relevant authorities, no action has been taken so far.
When asked to comment on the incident, Deputy Minister of Welfare Tina Pavlou stated that, for people over the age of 80, all eligibility criteria have been eliminated, and they can receive home care benefits without any restrictions. According to Ms. Pavlou’s statements, problems have been identified regarding access to the relevant application forms.
She also noted that the Deputy Ministry of Welfare is focusing on potential distortions in the system as well as on ensuring that vulnerable groups have access to all social benefits and services.
As he notes, the Deputy Ministry is also focused on establishing a home-based social care unit. The goal of this initiative, which is expected to launch next month, is for the mobile unit to be able to visit citizens in their homes and provide the necessary support. The social care unit will be staffed by a social worker, a caregiver, and a nurse.
Ms. Pavlou also referred to the initiative regarding the neighborhood social worker. Specifically, she emphasized that through this initiative, several individuals were identified who were living in isolation and not receiving the benefits to which they are entitled.
