Promoting networks for healthy ageing

October 2009 - April 2012

The project focuses on improving the health and quality of life of elderly persons in 3 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina through improved services and appropriate policies and programmes. The lesson learnt from this project will - among others - be used in drafting a care strategy for elderly persons living at both entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The indirect beneficiaries include professionals, volunteers and community-based organisations working in the area of elderly care and support and state social service providers. The indirect beneficiaries will also include the families of the elderly who are currently bearing the greatest burden for supporting the elderly.

The counterpart organisation in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is "Partnership for Public Health". The Stichting Zorgbeheer De Zellingen (The Netherlands) pays also an important contribution.

The project is financially supported by the Social Transformation Programme (Matra) of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Main project activities:

• Working visit of 10 Bosnian counterparts to The Netherlands
• Establishment of 4 community groups comprising stakeholders and elderly people in cooperation with local municipalities, and building their capacity to provide information and support to local elderly population
• Dissemination of up-to-date information to elderly people through social centres, health centres and other methods
• Establishment and maintenance of a network to advocate for the rights and entitlements of the elderly at the community and federal levels
• Advocacy training for the established community groups, project staff and stakeholders including Red Cross workers
• Development and establishment of a pilot elderly day care centre providing services and programmes
• Building capacity of elderly for peer-support and training (elderly) volunteers in providing day-care centred services
• Development and dissemination of the toolkit on community development for elderly care and support in BiH