Latgale municipalities struggle to meet rising demand for elder care

Waiting lists for senior care are growing in Daugavpils and Rēzekne as municipal funding falls short, LSM reports. A new privately run care home is being built in Višķi with European Union support, offering space for 48 residents.

Daugavpils has one nursing home, with 170 residents and about 70 people on its waiting list. The number of city residents over 65 has grown by nearly a quarter since 2000 and is approaching 20,000. Around 400 more seniors receive care at home.

Marina Gerasimova, head of Daugavpils Social Service, said the city also buys care outside Daugavpils when people leaving hospital cannot safely live alone. The local nursing home has no places available, she said.

In Rēzekne, the number of residents over 65 has risen by 18% since 2000. The city’s nursing home has 185 places, while plans to expand it face a lack of funding.