Poland launches home assistance program for elderly people — RMF24

Poland is launching the state-run Bon Senioralny program for people aged 65 and older who need support in everyday life. It provides free in-home assistance services, and the value of such support may reach 2,500 zlotys per month, RMF24 reports.

Conditions for receiving assistance

Reaching the age of 65 alone is not sufficient to take part in the program. The average monthly income for the three months before submitting an application must not exceed 3,410 zlotys. This threshold is planned to be indexed annually, so it will change along with increases in pensions and disability benefits.

Applications will be able to be submitted to gmina authorities. Local self-government bodies will assess the elderly person's needs, determine the range of services and the number of assistance hours. The review and qualification process is expected to take no more than 30 days.

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What services will be provided

Bon Senioralny does not provide for cash payments directly to the recipient. It concerns specific services at the place of residence: assistance with shopping and meal preparation, washing and maintaining hygiene, dressing, moving around, organizing daily matters and maintaining social contacts.

The scope of support will be determined individually, and elderly people will not pay for it. Initially, funding will be provided to gminas that do not have public care services or where such services are used by up to ten elderly people. According to the publication, such gminas account for 45% of the total number in Poland. The state has allocated nearly 1 billion zlotys for the first edition of the program.