• More than 50 elderly people already rely on the care of the specialists at the center

UniCredit Foundation, Bulgarian Red Cross (BRC) and UniCredit Bulbank had their first joint project in Bulgaria officially opened – Home Care Center set up in Dobrich.

The setting up of two centers where qualified specialists will take care of elderly people who have been left alone in result of emigration of their friends and relatives started in March this year. Apart from the one in Dobrich, a home care center has also been established in Smolyan as the total cost of both projects is TBGN 377, all provided by UniCredit Foundation. These funds will ensure the functioning of the centers for the next two years.

„We are thankful to UniCredit Foundation for backing up our idea for creating a Home Care Center. The need for such a center is obvious – despite the short period of its existence, in the center there are now 53 elderly people who get the care they need every day”, said Hristo Grigorov, Chairman of the Bulgarian Red Cross. He pointed out that an additional benefit for Dobrich from developing this center is the opening of new jobs.

„We are glad that just a few months after the start of the project “Home care for elderly people who have been left alone in result of internal and external migration of their relatives”, the center already is indeed operating and those who need can make use of it. At UniCredit Foundation we wish that our support reaches the people as quickly and efficiently as possible”, stated the Chairman of UniCredit Foundation, Mr. Maurizcio Carrara. The Foundation has been developing a large-scale project “Migration Program”, which aims at increasing awareness and support with regard to any issues that are created by migration by way of facilitating initiatives in all the countries where UniCredit Group is represented.

In Bulgaria, UniCredit is represented by the largest bank in the country, i.e. UniCredit Bulbank, the leasing company UniCredit Leasing, the company for consumer financing UniCredit Consumer Financing, as well as UniCredit Factoring.

"We put conscious effort in developing projects in support to the local communities where the bank is operating. Dobrich and Smolyan, where the bank has active presence, are the two regions in Bulgaria most affected by migration processes and without any obtrusive proclamations we are trying to be a part of the solution to this social problem in the country. We are presenting the care center in Dobrich so that the information for this chance of getting help to be available for the people who need such care", said Levon Hampartzoumian, Chief Executive Officer of UniCredit Bulbank.

About the project

Under this project, Home Care Centers have been set up in Dobrich and Smolyan providing health and social services for the elderly at their homes with the purpose of maintaining their independent and dignified way of life and preventing their social exclusion. The selected regions are among the most affected ones from migration perspective, negative population growth and increased morbidity and death rate, as well as high unemployment rate.

Within the scope of the project, there have already been set up qualified teams of home assistants and nurses who had successfully completed a training course focused on the specifics in care-taking in home setting, carried out in cooperation with lecturers at the Faculty of Public Heath at the Medical University – Sofia and members of the Bulgarian Association of Healthcare Professionals. Two nurses and five home assistants work in each center. The center in Dobrich takes care of 53 patients and in Smolyan the number of patients is 51.

The quality of the services is guaranteed by the qualifications of the staff, the individual assessment of the needs of each beneficial user, as well as the regular monitoring of the quality of the provided services. In providing care services for the elderly at their homes there will also be trained and involved some volunteers.

In the next two years, the provided care services within the scope of the project will be available for patients who wish and may stay at home and who have a GP; elderly people with chronic diseases requiring control of physiological indicators – blood pressure, blood sugar level, temperature, etc.; people with various degree of disability preventing them from having a self-reliant way of life; patients who are recovering from heavy systematic illnesses – stroke, heart attack, as well as patients who have underwent an operation with completed active treatment who do not require 24-hour medical supervision.

The Bulgarian Red Cross will work in close cooperation with representatives of the municipal administration and the local social institutions. The project will contribute to improving the quality of life of the elderly people in the selected municipalities.

For contacts:

UniCredit Bulbank, Identity and Communications Department

Viktoria Blajeva, Tel: 0894/570 159, wjlj/ebwjepwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Ekaterina Ancheva: Tel: 0894/518 193, flbufsjob/bodifwbAvojdsfejuhspvq/ch

Bulgarian Red Cross

Ginka Ludzheva, Tel.: 02/81 64 723, h/mpvekfwbAsfedsptt/ch

UniCredit Foundation

Bojana Jovanovic, cpkbob/kpwbopwjdAvojdsfejugpvoebujpo/psh