A home for senior citizens has opened in the Latsia neighborhood of Nicosia. The main feature of the new institution is that it accepts pensioners with mental disorders.
This was announced the other day by Cypriot Health Minister Michalis Damianos, who visited the facility, which is specially adapted to the needs of this group of people.
The Minister was accompanied by: the head of the Public Health Organization (Okypy) Marinos Kallis and the Director of Mental Health Services Anna Paradeisiotou. During the inauguration ceremony of the home for the elderly, Damianos said that this project is part of the Cyprus government's efforts to modernize the health sector. The main objective is to provide quality health services while fully respecting the rights of people with special mental health needs.
Our aim is to create a humane and supportive environment for people with mental health problems to be rehabilitated in the community," the minister said.
Damianos noted that the new facility will exclusively accept patients with mental disorders who are eligible for discharge from the Atalassa Psychiatric Hospital and should be gradually reintegrated into society.
The new nursing home in Nicosia will house people with chronic mental disorders who have been in a stable condition for a long time in Atalassa Hospital, they are not dangerous and can be integrated into society," the minister continued.
The building in which the new home for the elderly was opened was built from scratch.
Damianos emphasized that the premises in the new facility fully meet all the specifications necessary for the operation of such structures. The home for the elderly is staffed with specialized medical personnel experienced in working with people with mental disorders, as well as a psychiatrist and a pathologist. He added that trees have been planted around the building and its facade has been landscaped to create a welcoming and familiar environment for the patients.
The minister further congratulated Okypy and the management of the mental health service for taking the initiative and realizing the first of its kind project. Damianos also thanked the volunteers for their efforts, paying tribute to the Mental Health Association, which works closely with the directorate and has donated a lot of furniture to the institution.
The cooperation of the state, society and volunteers is necessary to solve problems in the health sector. The Cypriot Ministry of Health remains an assistant and supporter in the efforts to develop programs and actions through which quality care services are offered to the community," concluded the Minister.