Rēzekne social service chief calls for broader senior support

Gunārs Arbidāns, head of the Rēzekne City Social Service, says the state should support seniors not only through higher pensions but also by improving access to healthcare and social care, LSM reports.

Arbidāns has led the social service for more than 10 years, overseeing the work of social-sector specialists and helping people in difficulty, including seniors.

Speaking ahead of the 15th Saeima elections, he said he expected the next parliament to act honestly and take responsibility for its decisions. He also stressed the importance of using state funds efficiently.

Arbidāns said Latvia should develop nursing homes and other social care institutions so that older people could receive quality assistance.

“Seniors are people who have worked and invested their strength throughout their lives. They deserve to spend their old age in good and dignified conditions,” he said.

Until pensions and available support improve, seniors will continue to seek help from the state healthcare and social care systems as well as municipal institutions. Arbidāns said the wellbeing of seniors should therefore be one of the next parliament’s priorities.